Dividend Increases Week 17 (Part 1)

 

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, 25 companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period. This is the first part of the week’s notifications.

 

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

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of April 11 2022 (Part 2)

 

Upgrades:

 

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) was upgraded by research analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

JBHT has been the subject of a number of other reports. 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 increased 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 research report on Wednesday, January 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $203.00 to $187.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $208.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Monday, March 14th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $206.05. Read more …

 

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) was upgraded by analysts at Compass Point from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm currently has a $98.00 price objective on the financial services provider’s stock. Compass Point’s target price indicates a potential upside of 20.13% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $100.00 to $107.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $120.00 to $114.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 7th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Charles Schwab from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $91.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, February 21st. Argus increased their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 21st. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $96.47. Read more …

 

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) was upgraded by analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on International Business Machines from $151.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 15th. UBS Group decreased their target price on International Business Machines from $124.00 to $118.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 25th. Zacks Investment Research lowered International Business Machines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $140.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, April 5th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on International Business Machines in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on International Business Machines in a research report on Sunday, January 9th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $140.00 price target on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $146.55. Read more …

 

 

NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) was upgraded by stock analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $280.00 target price on the computer hardware maker’s stock. Citigroup’s target price indicates a potential upside of 29.32% from the stock’s previous close. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

NVDA has been the topic of several other research reports. Summit Insights lowered NVIDIA from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 17th. New Street Research raised NVIDIA from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $280.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of NVIDIA from $347.00 to $298.00 in a report on Friday, April 8th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of NVIDIA in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Finally, Cowen reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $350.00 price objective on shares of NVIDIA in a report on Tuesday, March 15th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, NVIDIA has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $327.00. Read more …

 

H.B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on FUL. Zacks Investment Research cut H.B. Fuller from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, March 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of H.B. Fuller from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their target price for the company from $75.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Friday, January 21st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of H.B. Fuller in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Seaport Res Ptn reissued a “buy” rating on shares of H.B. Fuller in a research note on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on shares of H.B. Fuller from $80.00 to $72.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 28th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $74.83. Read more …

 

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) was upgraded by equities researchers at Cowen from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $270.00 price objective on the aerospace company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $200.00. Cowen’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 26.80% from the stock’s previous close.

HII has been the topic of several other research reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Vertical Research raised shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $250.00 price target on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 17th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a report on Wednesday, December 15th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $225.00 target price on the stock. TheStreet raised shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a report on Thursday, March 3rd. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $205.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, January 10th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $227.00. Read more …

 

 

 

Downgrades:

 

AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) was downgraded by analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $178.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective points to a potential upside of 9.44% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $130.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 3rd. Scotiabank cut AmerisourceBergen from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 6th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $135.00 to $152.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 11th. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on AmerisourceBergen from $175.00 to $179.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded AmerisourceBergen from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, AmerisourceBergen currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $158.00. Read more …

 

Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) was downgraded by stock analysts at Citigroup from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. They presently have a $28.00 target price on the closed-end fund’s stock, down from their previous target price of $44.50. Citigroup’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 8.32% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on BEN. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $33.00 to $27.00 in a report on Thursday, April 7th. BMO Capital Markets lowered shares of Franklin Resources from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $38.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, December 16th. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Franklin Resources in a report on Thursday, December 16th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $38.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Franklin Resources in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “hold” rating for the company. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered shares of Franklin Resources from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $30.00 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have given a hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $31.25. Read more …

 

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) was downgraded by analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a report released on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have a $45.00 price target on the network equipment provider’s stock, down from their previous price target of $65.00. Citigroup’s price objective would indicate a potential downside of 14.02% from the company’s previous close.

CSCO has been the topic of a number of other reports. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of Cisco Systems from $64.00 to $63.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 17th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Cisco Systems from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $60.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of Cisco Systems from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, January 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Cisco Systems from $70.00 to $69.00 in a report on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Cisco Systems from $61.00 to $68.00 in a report on Thursday, February 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $62.47. Read more …

 

 

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) was downgraded by equities researchers at BMO Capital Markets from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They currently have a $174.00 price objective on the business services provider’s stock. BMO Capital Markets’ price target would suggest a potential upside of 6.55% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on WM. Erste Group downgraded shares of Waste Management to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of Waste Management in a report on Tuesday, March 1st. They set a “neutral” rating and a $153.00 price objective for the company. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $155.00. Read more …

 

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Truist Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. They currently have a $121.00 price target on the medical technology company’s stock, down from their prior price target of $124.00. Truist Financial’s price target indicates a potential upside of 9.42% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently commented on MDT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Medtronic from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $130.00 to $105.00 in a report on Friday, December 17th. BTIG Research lowered shares of Medtronic from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $104.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, January 10th. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Tuesday, March 1st. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Raymond James dropped their target price on shares of Medtronic from $127.00 to $116.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 18th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Medtronic from $130.00 to $129.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 19th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $129.32. Read more …

 

TransAlta Renewables (TSE:RNW) was downgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a C$21.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 13.76% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on RNW. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on shares of TransAlta Renewables from C$19.00 to C$18.50 in a research note on Thursday, January 27th. Raymond James set a C$19.00 price objective on shares of TransAlta Renewables and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, February 25th. Industrial Alliance Securities downgraded TransAlta Renewables to a “hold” rating and set a C$19.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, March 10th. CIBC dropped their price objective on shares of TransAlta Renewables from C$19.50 to C$19.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 28th. Finally, National Bankshares reduced their price target on shares of TransAlta Renewables from C$19.00 to C$18.50 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 12th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of C$19.20. Read more …

 

 

Thor Industries (NYSE:THO) was downgraded by investment analysts at BNP Paribas from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a report released on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $65.00 price target on the construction company’s stock. BNP Paribas’ price objective points to a potential downside of 18.94% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on THO. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Thor Industries from $150.00 to $120.00 in a report on Thursday, March 10th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on Thor Industries from $175.00 to $140.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 10th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Thor Industries in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Truist Financial lowered Thor Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the company from $125.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 2nd. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Thor Industries in a research note on Thursday, February 10th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $100.00 price objective for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $116.67. Read more …

 

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on GWW. William Blair reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a research note on Thursday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $535.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 4th. Atlantic Securities raised W.W. Grainger from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $580.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 15th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $392.00 to $432.00 in a research note on Friday, February 4th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on W.W. Grainger in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $510.55. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 10 2022 (Part 2)

 

Upgrades:

 

Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI) (NYSE:TRI) was upgraded by equities research analysts at National Bank Financial from a "sector perform underweight" rating to an "outperfrom underweight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. TD Securities upped their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from C$160.00 to C$165.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from C$122.00 to C$123.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 3rd. National Bankshares raised shares of Thomson Reuters from a "sector perform" rating to a "buy" rating and set a C$162.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, BNP Paribas raised shares of Thomson Reuters to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 3rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of C$147.67. Read more …

 

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) was upgraded by investment analysts at Piper Sandler to an "overweight" rating in a report issued on Wednesday, Stock Target Advisor reports. The brokerage currently has a $64.00 target price on the financial services provider's stock, up from their previous target price of $50.00. Piper Sandler's price target points to a potential upside of 14.16% from the stock's current price.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, October 11th. Morgan Stanley raised Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $61.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, December 6th. UBS Group assumed coverage on Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Friday, December 10th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $65.00 target price for the company. TheStreet raised Wells Fargo & Company from a "c+" rating to a "b-" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. Finally, Raymond James raised their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $52.24. Read more …

 

DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) was upgraded by investment analysts at Edward Jones from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Price Targets.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also commented on DTE. Evercore ISI upgraded DTE Energy from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $127.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, September 17th. Mizuho dropped their price target on DTE Energy from $126.00 to $124.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 22nd. Morgan Stanley upgraded DTE Energy from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $127.00 to $133.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded DTE Energy from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $124.00 to $123.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 1st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered DTE Energy from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $126.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Friday, January 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, DTE Energy has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $128.30. Read more …

 

 

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) was upgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $32.00 price objective on the oilfield services company's stock, up from their prior price objective of $30.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price target suggests a potential upside of 16.62% from the company's current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on HAL. Morgan Stanley raised Halliburton from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $28.00 to $30.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 4th. Citigroup raised their price target on Halliburton from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. COKER & PALMER raised Halliburton from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $24.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 12th. Argus raised Halliburton from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $32.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Halliburton from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, October 1st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Halliburton has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $26.09. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of July 19, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) was upgraded by The Goldman Sachs Group from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on QCOM. Susquehanna Bancshares downgraded QUALCOMM to a "neutral" rating and cut their target price for the company from $175.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Monday, April 19th. Mizuho boosted their target price on QUALCOMM from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 29th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on QUALCOMM from $167.00 to $173.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 29th. Evercore ISI reissued an "in-line" rating and set a $150.00 target price (down previously from $195.00) on shares of QUALCOMM in a research report on Monday, April 19th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their target price on QUALCOMM from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. The stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $165.96. Read more …

 

Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG) was upgraded by analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on SPG. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Simon Property Group from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, June 11th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on shares of Simon Property Group from $117.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Monday, June 28th. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Simon Property Group in a report on Thursday, June 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $135.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Simon Property Group from $97.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated a “hold” rating on shares of Simon Property Group in a report on Thursday, May 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $127.69. Read more …

 

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Societe Generale from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $140.00 target price on the technology company’s stock, up from their prior target price of $121.00. Societe Generale’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 1.51% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 20th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on International Business Machines from $147.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 20th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on International Business Machines from $150.00 to $152.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on International Business Machines from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $145.91. Read more …

 

 

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) was upgraded by investment analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $26.00 price objective on the oilfield services company’s stock. The Goldman Sachs Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 29.55% from the company’s previous close.

HAL has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Barclays raised shares of Halliburton from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $21.00 to $29.00 in a report on Monday, May 3rd. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Halliburton from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $24.00 target price for the company in a report on Monday, April 12th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Halliburton from $23.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, July 9th. Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on shares of Halliburton from $16.00 to $16.50 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 22nd. Finally, Atb Cap Markets upgraded shares of Halliburton from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.80. Read more …

Dividend Aristocrats: International Business Machines

 

For the 2021 Dividend Aristocrats In Focus series, first up is International Business Machines (IBM). Last year, IBM raised its dividend for the 25th year in a row, making it one of the newest members of the Dividend Aristocrats.

 

IBM has struggled through a prolonged turnaround effort in the past few years. The company has invested heavily in new areas such as artificial intelligence, data, and cloud services while attempting to divest slow-growth legacy businesses. These efforts have had mixed results, as the company is still having difficulty returning to growth.

 

However, IBM has continued to raise its dividend each year. With a high dividend yield above 5% and consistent dividend increases each year, IBM stock could be viewed favorably by income investors.

 

Business Overview

 

IBM is a global information technology company that provides integrated enterprise solutions for software, hardware, and services. In the services business, IBM is the world’s largest IT provider with 5.5% market share. In software, IBM’s software business is mostly middleware, which is the software layer that connects applications and devices to each other.

 

In hardware, IBM sells the z15 mainframes, storage, and the Power-based servers. The company has five business segments: Cloud & Cognitive Software, Global Business Services, Global Technology Services, Systems, and Global Financing.

 

 

On January 21st, IBM reported fourth-quarter and full-year financial results. For the fourth quarter, revenue of $20.4 billion declined 6% year-over-year, or 8% adjusting divested businesses and currency fluctuations.

 

Continue reading …

 

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of November 2, 2020

 

Disposals:

 

Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D) Chairman Thomas F. Farrell II sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.49, for a total transaction of $4,074,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

NYSE:D traded up $1.32 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $81.66. 3,279,020 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,992,305. The company has a market cap of $68.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 110.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.14 and a beta of 0.36. Dominion Energy, Inc. has a 1 year low of $57.79 and a 1 year high of $90.89. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $80.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $79.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. Read more …

 

Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) Chairman David Rowland sold 8,723 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.42, for a total transaction of $1,922,723.66. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 13,903 shares in the company, valued at $3,064,499.26. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

David Rowland also recently made the following trade(s):

On Monday, October 19th, David Rowland sold 10,938 shares of Accenture stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $229.30, for a total transaction of $2,508,083.40.

ACN traded up $5.52 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $225.71. 1,544,034 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,391,294. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $226.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $214.34. The company has a market cap of $142.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.06. Accenture plc has a one year low of $137.15 and a one year high of $247.82. Read more …

 

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) General Counsel Suzette M. Long sold 3,687 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $571,485.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 10,549 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,635,095. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Shares of Caterpillar stock opened at $155.23 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.83, a PEG ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $156.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $135.76. Caterpillar Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.50 and a 12-month high of $171.26. Read more …

 

 

Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV) VP Anthony K. Kosinski sold 4,203 shares of Dover stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.31, for a total value of $488,850.93. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 986 shares in the company, valued at approximately $114,681.66. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE:DOV traded up $2.29 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $117.16. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 624,569 shares, compared to its average volume of 930,578. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.47. Dover Co. has a fifty-two week low of $62.95 and a fifty-two week high of $120.26. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $111.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $102.49. The company has a market capitalization of $16.55 billion, a PE ratio of 25.47, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.38. Read more …

 

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of October 26, 2020

 

Disposals:

 

General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) insider Shawn P. Ogrady sold 6,310 shares of General Mills stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.77, for a total value of $383,458.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 129,257 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,854,947.89. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

 Shares of General Mills stock traded down $0.50 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $61.28. The company had a trading volume of 66,634 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,125,454. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $60.65 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.49. The firm has a market cap of $37.77 billion, a PE ratio of 16.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.60. General Mills, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $46.59 and a fifty-two week high of $66.14.  Read more …

 

Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $227.74, for a total value of $1,138,700.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 19,391 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,416,106.34. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

NYSE:ACN traded up $3.36 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $222.59. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 40,944 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,782,384. The company has a market capitalization of $146.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 1.06. Accenture plc has a 12 month low of $137.15 and a 12 month high of $247.82. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $229.24 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $212.84. Read more …

 

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 98,579 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $329.47, for a total transaction of $32,478,823.13. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Shares of NYSE:UNH traded down $2.55 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $320.51. 2,426,439 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,187,595. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $314.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $302.05. The firm has a market cap of $307.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.68. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $187.72 and a 1-year high of $335.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. Read more …

 

 

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) Director Mark Wiedman sold 3,850 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction on Monday, October 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $626.47, for a total transaction of $2,411,909.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Mark Wiedman also recently made the following trade(s):

On Thursday, August 6th, Mark Wiedman sold 360 shares of BlackRock stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $583.20, for a total transaction of $209,952.00.

Shares of BLK stock traded down $13.82 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $600.71. 641,802 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 950,465. The firm has a market capitalization of $91.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.92, a PEG ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 4.02 and a current ratio of 4.02. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $586.70 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $553.24. BlackRock, Inc. has a 52 week low of $323.98 and a 52 week high of $666.64. Read more …

 

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of February 4, 2019

Acquisitions:

Kinder Morgan Inc (NYSE:KMI) insider Richard D. Kinder purchased 150,000 shares of Kinder Morgan stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 4th. The shares were bought at an average price of $18.31 per share, with a total value of $2,746,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 235,777,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,317,088,094.03. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. NYSE KMI opened at $17.96 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $40.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.89. Kinder Morgan Inc has a 52 week low of $14.62 and a 52 week high of $18.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. Read more …

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) Director Geoffrey Y. Yang acquired 33,558 shares of AT&T stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 4th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $29.79 per share, with a total value of $999,692.82. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,402 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $160,925.58. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. NYSE T traded down $0.34 during trading on Thursday, hitting $29.22. 9,475,423 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 34,387,776. AT&T Inc. has a 12 month low of $26.80 and a 12 month high of $37.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market cap of $181.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 0.54. Read more …

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) Director James S. Crown purchased 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $103.79 per share, with a total value of $518,950.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 311,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $32,325,084.13. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. NYSE:JPM traded down $0.05 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $103.74. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 8,812,928 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,815,237. The stock has a market capitalization of $357.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.53, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52-week low of $91.11 and a 52-week high of $119.33. Read more …

Disposals:

American Express (NYSE:AXP) Chairman Stephen J. Squeri sold 12,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.02, for a total value of $1,287,750.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. AXP stock opened at $103.90 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.64, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 1.88. American Express has a 12 month low of $87.54 and a 12 month high of $114.55. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of November 5, 2018

Disposals:

American Express (NYSE:AXP) Chairman Stephen J. Squeri sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.84, for a total value of $1,298,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 209,957 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,801,934.88. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Shares of NYSE AXP traded up $1.50 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $105.21. The company had a trading volume of 2,697,676 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,579,099. American Express has a twelve month low of $87.54 and a twelve month high of $111.77. The company has a current ratio of 1.88, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.58. The company has a market capitalization of $88.60 billion, a PE ratio of 17.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.06. Read more …

NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) CEO Armando Pimentel, Jr. sold 4,920 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.11, for a total transaction of $836,941.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 59,969 shares in the company, valued at $10,201,326.59. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. NextEra Energy stock traded down $0.80 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $172.74. 92,364 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,866,117. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.57. NextEra Energy Inc has a 12 month low of $145.10 and a 12 month high of $176.82. The stock has a market cap of $81.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.74, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.13. Read more …

Becton Dickinson and Co (NYSE:BDX) Director Timothy M. Ring sold 42,000 shares of Becton Dickinson and stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.07, for a total value of $9,956,940.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 93,688 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $22,210,614.16. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Shares of BDX traded up $4.60 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $241.46. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 259,633 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,330,895. Becton Dickinson and Co has a one year low of $209.91 and a one year high of $265.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 1.23. The firm has a market cap of $64.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.93, a PEG ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.19. Read more …

Becton Dickinson and Co (NYSE:BDX) EVP James C. Lim sold 5,189 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.36, for a total value of $1,257,606.04. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,318 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,227,750.48. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Read more ...

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) EVP Wiebe Tinga sold 6,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.80, for a total transaction of $598,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 44,559 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,446,988.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. HAS traded down $2.09 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $98.31. 74,720 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,871,147. Hasbro, Inc. has a 1-year low of $79.00 and a 1-year high of $109.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.04, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a current ratio of 2.41, a quick ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. Read more …