Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 21 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

Downgrades:

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 7 2022 (Part 1)

 

Upgrades:

 

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) was upgraded by research analysts at KeyCorp to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued on Monday, Stock Target Advisor reports. The firm presently has a $87.00 target price on the utilities provider's stock. KeyCorp's price target would suggest a potential upside of 8.47% from the stock's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on NEE. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on NextEra Energy from $89.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, December 8th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on NextEra Energy from $90.00 to $88.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 18th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of NextEra Energy from $91.00 to $88.00 in a research note on Monday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five 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 target price of $89.43. Read more …

 

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was upgraded by research analysts at Robert W. Baird from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The firm presently has a $42.00 price objective on the financial services provider's stock. Robert W. Baird's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 9.55% from the company's current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on BAC. Societe Generale downgraded Bank of America from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 5th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. UBS Group assumed coverage on Bank of America in a report on Friday, December 10th. They set a "buy" rating and a $64.00 price target for the company. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Bank of America from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $51.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Bank of America from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, Argus raised their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $50.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $50.38. Read more …

 

Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) was upgraded by Jefferies Financial Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $260.00 price objective on the industrial products company's stock, up from their previous price objective of $215.00. Jefferies Financial Group's target price would suggest a potential upside of 32.18% from the stock's current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on CAT. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $166.00 to $164.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 9th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Caterpillar from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 5th. Credit Suisse Group dropped their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $233.00 to $242.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Caterpillar from $225.00 to $230.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $242.18. Read more …

 

 

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $58.00 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of $50.00. Wells Fargo & Company's target price would indicate a potential upside of 7.21% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on FAST. Loop Capital upped their target price on Fastenal from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 7th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. StockNews.com lowered Fastenal from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 3rd. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Fastenal from $64.00 to $66.00 in a research report on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Fastenal from $53.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $59.50. Read more …

Philip Morris International Inc.: A Sin Stock Worth Getting Caught With

 

Philip Morris Stock Trading at Record Highs; Still Pays 4.9% Dividend

 

A perfect storm has made it possibly the perfect time for investors to embrace sin stocks. Interest rates are still near record lows and stocks are near record highs. That’s great for initial investments, but it means dividend yields are dropping hard.

 

Where are income-starved investors supposed to go to get safe, high yields?

 

The yields on traditional blue-chip stocks are reliable and tend to grow every year, but the payouts aren’t astronomical. That’s the risk/reward tradeoff. The average dividend yield of all Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks is 2.2%. The current yield on the S&P 500 is a paltry 1.4%, its lowest level since the new millennium and its second-lowest reading on record.

 

If you’re looking for a stock that provides investors with strong, long-term capital appreciation and a long history of raising its frothy dividends, then look no further than tobacco giant Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM).

 

Philip Morris operates 38 production facilities and produces more than 700 billion cigarettes each year. The company’s machines can produce up to 20,000 cigarettes every minute. (Source: “Making Cigarettes,” Philip Morris International Inc., last accessed May 19, 2021.)

 

Philip Morris International’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In many of these markets, the company holds the No. 1 or No. 2 position by market size. Philip Morris has six of the top 15 international brands. (Source: “Building Leading Brands,” Philip Morris International Inc., last accessed May 19, 2021.)

 

 

Even if you’re not all that familiar with the name Philip Morris, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of some of the company’s brands.

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of April 5, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

The Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) was upgraded by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a “buy” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on SCHW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on The Charles Schwab in a research report on Thursday, March 4th. They issued an “overweight” rating on the stock. Wolfe Research raised The Charles Schwab from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $67.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 22nd. Zacks Investment Research cut The Charles Schwab from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $68.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, March 9th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on The Charles Schwab from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on The Charles Schwab from $76.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 31st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $57.14. Read more …

 

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) was upgraded by stock analysts at Raymond James from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The firm presently has a $41.00 price target on the natural resource company's stock. Raymond James' price objective would suggest a potential upside of 15.95% from the company's current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. B. Riley increased their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $32.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 23rd. TheStreet upgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a "c" rating to a "b-" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Freeport-McMoRan from $20.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a research note on Tuesday, March 30th. Finally, Johnson Rice initiated coverage on Freeport-McMoRan in a research note on Wednesday, December 16th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Freeport-McMoRan presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $24.38. Read more …

 

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ:VIAC) was upgraded by Wolfe Research from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report released on Wednesday, Price Targets.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $70.00 target price on the stock, down from their previous target price of $80.00. Wolfe Research's target price points to a potential upside of 59.49% from the company's previous close.

VIAC has been the topic of several other reports. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of ViacomCBS from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and set a $70.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 29th. Loop Capital raised shares of ViacomCBS from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $48.00 target price for the company in a report on Monday, March 29th. Citigroup downgraded shares of ViacomCBS from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $42.00 to $49.00 in a report on Monday, February 1st. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of ViacomCBS from $35.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 25th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on shares of ViacomCBS from $55.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 3rd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company's stock. The company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $47.46. Read more …

 

 

Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Guggenheim from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

TSCO has been the topic of several other research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Tractor Supply from $170.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 25th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their target price on shares of Tractor Supply from $165.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Tractor Supply from $168.00 to $175.00 in a report on Thursday, January 21st. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Tractor Supply from $155.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 29th. Finally, Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Tractor Supply from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 29th. Eighteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $148.54. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 23, 2020

 

 

Upgrades: 

 

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) was upgraded by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. 

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Rockwell Automation in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. They issued an "equal weight" rating on the stock. William Blair reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Rockwell Automation in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Rosenblatt Securities lifted their target price on Rockwell Automation from $205.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 11th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Rockwell Automation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $256.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 13th. Finally, Berenberg Bank started coverage on Rockwell Automation in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $270.00 target price on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Rockwell Automation has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $225.24. 

NYSE:ROK opened at $247.63 on Monday. Rockwell Automation has a 52 week low of $115.38 and a 52 week high of $267.48. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.77 billion, a PE ratio of 37.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.78 and a beta of 1.47. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $241.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $222.63. Read more ... 

 

American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) was upgraded by equities researchers at Guggenheim from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Stock Target Advisor reports. 

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on American Electric Power from $94.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 26th. Wolfe Research lowered shares of American Electric Power from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 16th. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of American Electric Power from $96.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. BidaskClub lowered shares of American Electric Power from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of American Electric Power from $106.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 17th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $102.50. Read more ... 

 

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP) (TSE:BIP.UN) was upgraded by investment analysts at Credit Suisse Group from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, AR Network reports. The firm currently has a $50.00 price target on the utilities provider's stock, up from their previous price target of $43.00. Credit Suisse Group's price target points to a potential downside of 2.86% from the company's current price. 

BIP has been the topic of a number of other reports. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $48.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $41.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $62.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, September 28th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, November 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $53.83. Read more ... 

 

 

Chubb (NYSE:CB) was upgraded by equities researchers at Raymond James from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Analyst Ratings Network reports. The firm currently has a $180.00 price target on the financial services provider’s stock, up from their prior price target of $150.00. Raymond James’ price objective points to a potential upside of 20.78% from the stock’s current price. 

Several other equities analysts have also commented on CB. TheStreet upgraded shares of Chubb from a “c” rating to a “b-” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Chubb from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their price target for the company from $123.00 to $132.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Chubb from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $120.00 to $163.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 10th. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on shares of Chubb from $144.00 to $152.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Chubb from $135.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Chubb presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $149.29. Read more ... 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 5, 2020

 

 

Upgrades:

 

ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Monday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $36.00 price target on the utilities provider's stock. Wells Fargo & Company's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 35.70% from the company's current price.

 

OKE has been the topic of several other research reports. Argus cut ONEOK from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on ONEOK from $26.00 to $25.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on ONEOK from $38.00 to $36.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on ONEOK from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Scotiabank cut ONEOK from a "sector outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and set a $31.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $37.75. Read more …

 

Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO) (NYSE:BMO) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports.

 

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on BMO. Canaccord Genuity lifted their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$79.00 to C$80.50 in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$75.00 to C$86.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 26th. TD Securities boosted their price target on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$84.00 to C$87.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 26th. Fundamental Research restated a "buy" rating and set a C$94.07 target price on shares of Bank of Montreal in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group upped their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$75.00 to C$81.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. The company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of C$85.27. Read more …

 

Diageo (NYSE:DEO) was upgraded by analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from an "underperform" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

 

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on the stock. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Diageo in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Bryan, Garnier & Co raised shares of Diageo from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a "sector perform" rating on shares of Diageo in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Diageo from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $148.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, HSBC assumed coverage on shares of Diageo in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $135.50. Read more …

 

 

 

 

Anheuser Busch Inbev (NYSE:BUD) was upgraded by investment analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Anheuser Busch Inbev’s Q3 2020 earnings at $0.74 EPS, Q4 2020 earnings at $0.74 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $1.51 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $3.07 EPS and FY2022 earnings at $3.33 EPS.

 

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on BUD. Evercore ISI raised shares of Anheuser Busch Inbev from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price target on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Barclays reissued an “equal weight” rating on shares of Anheuser Busch Inbev in a report on Friday, September 18th. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of Anheuser Busch Inbev from $52.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 18th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Anheuser Busch Inbev in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Kepler Capital Markets reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Anheuser Busch Inbev in a report on Sunday, September 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Anheuser Busch Inbev has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $63.00. Read more …

 

Is Philip Morris a Buy Following Another Dividend Increase?

 

Philip Morris gave investors another dividend increase, but is the stock a buy following a solid 3-month rally?

 

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) recently raised its dividend. This already high yielding stock has now given shareholders a dividend increase for more than a decade following its spinoff from Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO). Including when it was part of Altria, the dividend growth streak expands to more than five decades.

 

Does this increase and the income the stock provides make Philip Morris a buy, even following a 15% gain over the last three months? In this article, we will examine the company's most recent quarter, dividend and valuation to determine the answer.

 

Quarterly highlights

 

Philip Morris reported its second quarter earnings results on July 21. Revenue declined 13.6% year-over-year to $6.7 billion, but this wasn't as bad as feared as results were $110 million better than what was expected by Wall Street analysts. Earnings per share decreased 17 cents, or 11.6%, to $1.29, which was 19 ahead of consensus predictions. Currency, as usual, was a headwind during the quarter. Revenue was lower by 9.5% and EPS dropped 7.5% on a currency neutral basis.

 

Covid-19 had a significant impact on results as consumers were out and about less during the quarter. Less disposable income in many regions also played a role in the decline. This was especially pronounced in urban areas around the world, where Philip Morris has a higher market share.

 

 

 

 

Volumes for cigarette and heated tobacco declined 14.5%. Cigarette shipments were down 17.6%. The company's market share fell 10 basis points to 28%, but much of this was related to continued weakness in Indonesia and duty free cigarettes.

 

Continue reading …

 

Philip Morris Remains Fully Committed to Dividend

Philip Morris (PM) reported earnings on April 21 and reiterated the firm's commitment to its dividend during these uncertain times:

    We also expect that strong cash flows will exceed cash requirements, including the funding of dividends to which we remain fully committed...

    Crucially, our organization, liquidity, and balance sheet are strong. We'll continue to protect and support our employees, serve our consumers, and reward our shareholders, which clearly includes our strong commitment to a dividend.

The international maker of Marlboro cigarettes and IQOS heated tobacco products expects to remain relatively resilient overall during the pandemic.

In developed markets such as the the European Union (15% of shipments) and Japan (7%), which tend to have strong social support programs, Philip Morris has so far not seen any impact on consumption.

Management also noted that, technically, people staying home have more opportunities to smoke than when they are at work. And in periods of uncertainty, while people tend to buy lower-priced products, they are also more likely to trust known brands from safe sources.

From a supply perspective, the company does not anticipate out-of-stock situations in any major markets and generally expects consumers to have adequate access to its products.

With that said, Philip Morris has seen three negative effects on its business.

Continue reading …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 30, 2020

Upgrades:

Nike (NYSE:NKE) was upgraded by Wells Fargo & Co from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report released on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a $99.00 price target on the footwear maker’s stock, up from their previous price target of $87.00. Wells Fargo & Co‘s price target points to a potential upside of 23.70% from the stock’s current price.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on NKE. Piper Jaffray Companies reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $110.00 target price (up previously from $101.00) on shares of Nike in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Nike from $119.00 to $88.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and set a $110.00 price target on shares of Nike in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Deutsche Bank boosted their price target on shares of Nike from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. Finally, Raymond James lowered their price target on shares of Nike from $110.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twenty-seven have given a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $98.13. Read more …

Shares of Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) have been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the fourteen analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have assigned a hold recommendation and seven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $51.50.

Several analysts recently weighed in on NUE shares. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Nucor from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $41.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Nucor from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $45.00 to $37.00 in a report on Monday, March 30th. Longbow Research upgraded shares of Nucor from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, December 9th. Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Nucor from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $55.00 to $41.00 in a report on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group dropped their target price on shares of Nucor from $57.00 to $54.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 20th. Read more …

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW) was upgraded by stock analysts at Goldman Sachs Group from a “neutral” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $590.00 price objective on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. Goldman Sachs Group’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 36.27% from the company’s previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Northcoast Research upgraded Sherwin-Williams from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $620.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Susquehanna Bancshares lowered shares of Sherwin-Williams from a “positive” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $620.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Credit Suisse Group reduced their target price on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $620.00 to $615.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Sherwin-Williams from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $583.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $580.00 to $566.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $584.75. Read more …

Wedbush upgraded shares of Wendys (NASDAQ:WEN) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, BenzingaRatingsTable reports. They currently have $21.00 price target on the restaurant operator’s stock, down from their previous price target of $22.00. Wedbush also issued estimates for Wendys’ Q4 2020 earnings at $0.09 EPS, Q1 2021 earnings at $0.10 EPS, Q4 2021 earnings at $0.13 EPS, Q1 2022 earnings at $0.17 EPS and FY2022 earnings at $0.79 EPS.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on shares of Wendys from $26.00 to $22.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday. MKM Partners upped their target price on shares of Wendys from to in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a hold rating and issued a $22.00 target price on shares of Wendys in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Wendys from to in a research note on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Wendys from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $21.48. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of July 15, 2019

Upgrades:

Bank of America upgraded shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report published on Monday morning, 24/7 WallStreet reports.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on DE. Macquarie set a $132.00 price target on shares of Deere & Company and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Monday, May 20th. Robert W. Baird raised shares of Deere & Company from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the stock from $129.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Sunday, June 16th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of AGCO from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $70.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Wells Fargo & Co reissued a buy rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of Carvana in a research report on Monday, July 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued a hold rating on shares of PG&E in a research report on Friday, June 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $167.78. Read more …

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Co from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage presently has a $88.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock, up from their previous target price of $68.00. Wells Fargo & Co‘s price objective suggests a potential upside of 31.46% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Oppenheimer set a $85.00 target price on shares of Gilead Sciences and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Raymond James set a $60.00 target price on shares of Banner and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. Needham & Company LLC cut shares of Acquity Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $80.54. Read more …

Edward Jones upgraded shares of General Mills (NYSE:GIS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on GIS. Bank of America set a $120.00 price objective on Walmart and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, May 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered VESTAS WIND SYS/ADR from a neutral rating to an underweight rating in a report on Thursday, March 21st. Wells Fargo & Co restated a hold rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Willis Towers Watson in a report on Friday, March 22nd. Guggenheim increased their target price on General Mills from $58.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies increased their target price on General Mills from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. General Mills has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $52.66. Read more …

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) was upgraded by stock analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $207.00 price target on shares of Alibaba Group and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Credit Suisse Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a GBX 2,012 ($26.29) price target on shares of Aston Martin Lagonda Global in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of General Moly from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Mizuho began coverage on shares of Avrobio in a research note on Wednesday, June 26th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $28.00 price target on the stock. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Zogenix from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $77.07. Read more …