Showing posts with label MRK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MRK. Show all posts

December 18, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 13 2021



 

Upgrades:

 


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

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

 


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

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

 


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

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

 

 


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

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

December 10, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 6 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


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

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

 


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

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

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



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

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

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

 

 


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

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

 


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

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

 


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

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

 

 


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

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

 


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

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

 


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

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

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

 

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

 


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

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

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

 

 


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

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

 

 

Downgrades:

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

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

 

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

 


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

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

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

 

 


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

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

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

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

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

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

 

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

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

 


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

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

 

December 4, 2021

Dividend Increases Week 48, 2021



 

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

 

Recently, 27 companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period.

 

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

 

December 3, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 29 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Citigroup from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

TJX has been the subject of several other research reports. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 18th. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, November 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 19th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 16th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $82.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 19th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, TJX Companies has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $83.15.

Shares of TJX Companies stock opened at $69.36 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $67.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $68.32. The company has a market cap of $83.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.96. TJX Companies has a fifty-two week low of $61.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.33. Read more …

 


Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) was upgraded by stock analysts at Odeon Capital Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 15th. TheStreet raised shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 14th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Company from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $49.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $49.00 price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Friday, September 10th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $48.71. Read more …

 


Chevron (NYSE:CVX) was upgraded by analysts at Tudor Pickering from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Stock Target Advisor reports.

CVX has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Chevron from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 24th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Chevron from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, November 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Chevron from $149.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Chevron from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $128.00 to $111.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 15th. Finally, DZ Bank cut Chevron from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $110.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, August 4th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $121.23. Read more …

 

 


DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $123.00 price target on the utilities provider's stock. Wells Fargo & Company's price objective suggests a potential upside of 13.53% from the stock's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on DTE. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $126.00 to $124.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 22nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $123.00 to $120.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 22nd. Finally, Evercore ISI raised shares of DTE Energy from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $127.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, September 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $128.20.

Shares of NYSE:DTE opened at $108.34 on Wednesday. The firm's 50 day moving average is $113.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.97, a PEG ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. DTE Energy has a 52 week low of $96.40 and a 52 week high of $122.14. Read more …

November 16, 2021

Merck Is a Dividend Play Ready to Get Back in Gear

 

MRK stock is a good buy here for conservative income investors

 


Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Merck (NYSE:MRK) stock was a good one to own. The performance of Merck stock matched that of the S&P 500, and it paid a steadily rising dividend.

 

Since then, the obsession with growth and vaccines has told a different story. Over the last two years the average S&P stock is up nearly 49%, Merck just 3.7%.

 

Recently, however, the charts for Merck have turned more bullish. It has a drug to treat Covid-19 that could be distributed worldwide. The third quarter results were upbeat.

 

Can we go back to curing cancer again?

 

The Good News

Merck’s molnupiravir, an antiviral pill for people with mild Covid-19 at risk for more serious illness, was approved recently by U.K. regulators. It’s now expected to win emergency use authorization in the U.S. by December.  That would open $2.2 billion in orders from the Food and Drug Administration, with options for more. Merck expects to produce 20 million courses of the drug next year.

 

Merck is also closing in on the $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma (NASDAQ:XLRN), which has new drugs for anemia and hypertension. There had been concern the deal would not go through, but European regulators are now signing off.

 

 

Then there’s the possibility Merck could spin off its animal health division, a move that has proven profitable for other companies.

 

Continue reading …

 

November 5, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 1 2021 (Part 1)

 



Upgrades:

 


Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) was upgraded by analysts at Northland Securities from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note issued on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports. The firm presently has a $49.00 price target on the chip maker’s stock. Northland Securities’ price target indicates a potential downside of 0.39% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on INTC. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “sell” rating and issued a $44.00 target price (down previously from $51.00) on shares of Intel in a research report on Friday, October 22nd. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Intel from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $58.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 9th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Intel from $57.00 to $52.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 22nd. Credit Suisse Group set a $80.00 price objective on Intel in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on Intel from $52.00 to $45.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $56.52. Read more …

 


Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) was upgraded by equities researchers at Argus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, Analyst Price Targets reports. The brokerage presently has a $110.00 price objective on the stock. Argus’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 25.40% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday. Barclays lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $87.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, October 8th. Truist began coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Tuesday, July 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $92.00 price target for the company. Berenberg Bank reissued a “hold” rating and set a $92.00 price target (up previously from $86.00) on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Sunday, October 10th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 price target for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 24th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $94.16. Read more …

 


Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) was upgraded by research analysts at Stephens from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $130.00 price objective on the coffee company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $118.00. Stephens’ price objective indicates a potential upside of 22.56% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $104.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 28th. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Starbucks in a report on Monday, October 11th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $135.00 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $144.00 to $128.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Atlantic Securities downgraded shares of Starbucks from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $105.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, September 30th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $123.00. Read more …

 

 


Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) was upgraded by stock analysts at HSBC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on SNY. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Sanofi in a research note on Thursday, August 12th. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Sanofi in a research note on Friday, August 6th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Sanofi from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $51.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Sanofi in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. Finally, SVB Leerink upgraded shares of Sanofi from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, September 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $51.00. Read more …