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

 

T stock's dividend cut may have only been temporary

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 3 2022 (Part 3)

 

Upgrades:

 

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Truist Securities from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $65.00 target price on the oil and gas company’s stock. Truist Securities’ price objective suggests a potential downside of 2.62% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on XOM. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Exxon Mobil from $71.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday. Truist downgraded Exxon Mobil from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $66.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group set a $59.00 price objective on Exxon Mobil in a research report on Wednesday, December 1st. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on Exxon Mobil from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Exxon Mobil presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $65.25. Read more …

 

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, Stock Target Advisor reports. The firm currently has a $110.00 price objective on the medical instruments supplier’s stock, up from their prior price objective of $86.00. Morgan Stanley’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 26.76% from the stock’s previous close.

BAX has been the topic of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on Baxter International in a research report on Friday, December 17th. They issued an “overweight” rating on the stock. Raymond James boosted their price target on Baxter International from $93.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Cowen raised Baxter International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $98.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 13th. Finally, KeyCorp boosted their price target on Baxter International from $92.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.27. Read more …

 

Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) (TSE:BEP) was upgraded by research analysts at Scotiabank from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating in a research note issued on Friday, Briefing.com reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently commented on BEP. Zacks Investment Research raised Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 6th. TheStreet cut Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "c-" rating to a "d+" rating in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. Tudor Pickering reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a C$44.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a report on Friday, September 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $46.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, December 9th. Finally, 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. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $44.42. Read more …

 

 

Dover (NYSE:DOV) was upgraded by analysts at Oppenheimer from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a note issued to investors on Friday, Briefing.com reports. The firm currently has a $205.00 target price on the industrial products company's stock. Oppenheimer's price target points to a potential upside of 12.97% from the stock's previous close.

DOV has been the subject of a number of other reports. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Dover from $173.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. Vertical Research assumed coverage on Dover in a report on Friday, October 8th. They issued a "sell" rating and a $152.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Dover from $163.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Dover from $178.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. Finally, Mizuho began coverage on Dover in a research report on Thursday, December 16th. They set a "buy" rating and a $195.00 price target on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $183.69. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 20 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Dover (NYSE:DOV) was upgraded by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on Dover from $163.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Dover from $173.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Dover from $185.00 to $196.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on Dover from $187.00 to $178.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Dover from $178.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Dover currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $177.08. Read more …

 

Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $142.00 price target on the real estate investment trust's stock, up from their prior price target of $135.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price suggests a potential upside of 9.64% from the company's current price.

FRT has been the topic of a number of other reports. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. Truist Securities boosted their target price on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, December 10th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from a "c+" rating to a "b" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 4th. Truist boosted their price objective on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $145.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 1st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $126.15. Read more …

 

Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) was upgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $385.00 price objective on the real estate investment trust's stock, up from their previous price objective of $359.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price would suggest a potential upside of 6.43% from the stock's current price.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Public Storage from $322.00 to $333.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, November 29th. Berenberg Bank began coverage on shares of Public Storage in a research report on Thursday, October 7th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $321.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James raised shares of Public Storage from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $350.00 to $375.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 2nd. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Public Storage from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $349.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Friday, November 12th. Finally, Truist raised their price target on shares of Public Storage from $325.00 to $353.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Public Storage presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $337.54. Read more …

 

 

AT&T (NYSE:T) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $30.00 price target on the technology company’s stock. Barclays‘s target price suggests a potential upside of 26.16% from the company’s previous close.

Several other brokerages have also commented on T. Truist Securities restated a “hold” rating and issued a $26.00 price objective on shares of AT&T in a report on Monday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of AT&T from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $32.00 to $28.00 in a report on Thursday. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of AT&T in a research note on Monday, September 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $30.00 price target for the company. Truist reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of AT&T in a research note on Monday, December 6th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $30.30. Read more …

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 …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 11, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ:CHRW) was upgraded by equities researchers at Vertical Research from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on CHRW. Evercore ISI began coverage on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide in a research note on Monday, September 13th. They issued an "inline" rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $58.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 8th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $95.00 to $90.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 13th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $94.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Monday, August 2nd. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $118.00 to $115.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $98.31. Read more …

 

Eli Lilly and (NYSE:LLY) was upgraded by stock analysts at Berenberg Bank from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on LLY. Truist assumed coverage on Eli Lilly and in a research note on Tuesday, July 27th. They set a "buy" rating and a $262.00 target price on the stock. DZ Bank upgraded Eli Lilly and from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $288.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 5th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Eli Lilly and from $250.00 to $279.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 4th. Truist Securities upped their price target on Eli Lilly and from $225.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, July 2nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Eli Lilly and from $252.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a "conviction-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $257.53. Read more …

 

3M (NYSE:MMM) was upgraded by stock analysts at Langenberg & Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on MMM. Wolfe Research downgraded 3M from a “peer perform” rating to an “underperform” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $218.00 to $215.00 in a research note on Monday, July 12th. Credit Suisse Group downgraded 3M from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $210.00 to $212.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 6th. Zacks Investment Research raised 3M from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $208.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, August 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded 3M from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $215.00 to $210.00 in a research report on Monday, October 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on 3M from $196.00 to $201.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $196.54. Read more …

 

 

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) was upgraded by stock analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on SBUX. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Starbucks from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Sunday, June 20th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $126.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $126.96. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 4, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

DuPont de Nemours (NYSE:DD) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports. The firm currently has a $85.00 price target on the basic materials company's stock, up from their previous price target of $84.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price objective suggests a potential upside of 22.96% from the stock's current price. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on DD. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours from $96.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 4th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 13th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of DuPont de Nemours from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $83.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 15th. KeyCorp reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $93.00 price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of DuPont de Nemours from a "d+" rating to a "c" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 3rd. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $88.59. Read more …

 

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) was upgraded by investment analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $260.00 price target on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior price target of $240.00. Barclays‘s price target indicates a potential upside of 28.88% from the company’s current price.

UNP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Evercore ISI restated a “buy” rating and issued a $228.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, September 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $225.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 17th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Union Pacific from $226.00 to $231.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 9th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 23rd. Finally, Atlantic Securities assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 12th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $263.00 price target on the stock. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $243.82. Read more …

 

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) was upgraded by equities researchers at BNP Paribas from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report released on Wednesday, FinViz reports. The brokerage presently has a $39.50 price objective on the natural resource company's stock. BNP Paribas' price objective points to a potential upside of 22.67% from the stock's previous close.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on FCX. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 23rd. Bank of America assumed coverage on Freeport-McMoRan in a report on Wednesday, September 29th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Credit Suisse Group downgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $29.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Friday, September 10th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $37.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, August 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $47.00 to $46.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $38.37. Read more …

 

 

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by Piper Sandler from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, FinViz reports. The brokerage presently has a $87.00 price target on the oil and gas company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $85.00. Piper Sandler’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 12.48% from the stock’s current price.

PSX has been the topic of several other research reports. decreased their price target on Phillips 66 from $126.00 to $95.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 9th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Phillips 66 in a research report on Tuesday, September 7th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $80.00 target price on the stock. cut their price objective on Phillips 66 from $126.00 to $95.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Phillips 66 from $96.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, June 24th. Finally, Citigroup cut shares of Phillips 66 from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $95.00 to $75.00 in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $84.31. Read more …

 

Dividend Investors Can’t Rely on AT&T Stock

 

T stock's shocking dividend cut was the culmination of years of mismanagement at AT&T

 

 

AT&T (NYSE:T) shocked the world this summer. AT&T has long been a centerpiece of many retirees and income investors’ portfolios. T stock generally yielded in the 6% range annually, and at times paid an even higher rate than that.

 

This was a massive number in a zero interest rate world. With banks paying virtually nothing on savings accounts, is it any wonder that AT&T’s fat yield seemed like an obvious winner?

 

Unfortunately, AT&T couldn’t support its yield any longer. The company took on tens of billions of dollars in debt in recent years. It was caught in a tough spot, as its core telephony business has limited growth prospects. Yet, shareholders wanted their annual dividend hike.

 

 

Management tried to get more and more creative with merger and acquisition activity to keep its dividend track record intact. But, in the end, it just didn’t work out.

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of July 26, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) was upgraded by investment analysts at Redburn Partners from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Briefing.com reports.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on ACN. Cowen boosted their price objective on Accenture from $305.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, June 25th. Exane BNP Paribas upgraded Accenture from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 23rd. Barclays lifted their target price on Accenture from $310.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 28th. Susquehanna lifted their target price on Accenture from $325.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research note on Friday, June 25th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on Accenture from $310.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, June 25th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $311.13. Read more …

 

D.R. Horton (NYSE:DHI) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wedbush from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $125.00 target price on the construction company’s stock, up from their prior target price of $94.00. Wedbush’s target price indicates a potential upside of 33.22% from the company’s current price.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on DHI. BTIG Research cut their target price on D.R. Horton from $124.00 to $117.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on D.R. Horton from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 27th. Seaport Res Ptn reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of D.R. Horton in a research report on Monday, July 19th. Citigroup cut their price objective on D.R. Horton from $109.00 to $106.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Finally, Raymond James raised D.R. Horton from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $110.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $102.44. Read more …

 

W. P. Carey (NYSE:WPC) was upgraded by Capital One Financial from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $90.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock. Capital One Financial‘s price objective points to a potential upside of 13.31% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Evercore ISI upgraded shares of W. P. Carey from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the company from $77.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Monday, May 3rd. Bank of America reissued an “underperform” rating on shares of W. P. Carey in a research note on Tuesday, April 13th. Zacks Investment Research raised W. P. Carey from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 13th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on W. P. Carey from $77.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 23rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised W. P. Carey from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $77.00 to $88.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. W. P. Carey currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $84.60. Read more …

 

 

PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) was upgraded by Susquehanna Bancshares from a “neutral” rating to a “positive” rating in a report released on Monday, Stock Target Advisor reports. The firm currently has a $163.36 price target on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. Susquehanna Bancshares’ target price points to a potential downside of 0.86% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on PPG. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $197.00 to $189.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 21st. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of PPG Industries from $180.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of PPG Industries from $187.00 to $192.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 11th. Argus boosted their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $157.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 19th. Finally, Susquehanna upgraded shares of PPG Industries from a “neutral” rating to a “positive” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $115.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Monday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. PPG Industries presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $174.08. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of June 14, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Welltower (NYSE:WELL) was upgraded by equities researchers at Evercore ISI from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $86.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock, up from their previous target price of $77.00. Evercore ISI’s target price suggests a potential upside of 7.93% from the stock’s current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on WELL. KeyCorp increased their price objective on shares of Welltower from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 15th. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Welltower from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price target for the company from $70.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Monday, May 3rd. Bank of America upgraded shares of Welltower from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $73.00 to $78.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 30th. Mizuho increased their target price on Welltower from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 28th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Welltower from $76.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, June 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $68.76. Read more …

 

W. P. Carey (NYSE:WPC) was upgraded by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $88.00 price target on the real estate investment trust's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price target would indicate a potential upside of 13.20% from the stock's current price.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Evercore ISI raised shares of W. P. Carey from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and raised their price target for the company from $77.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Monday, May 3rd. Bank of America reaffirmed an "underperform" rating on shares of W. P. Carey in a research report on Tuesday, April 13th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised shares of W. P. Carey from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. W. P. Carey presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $81.00. Read more …

 

Nestlé (OTCMKTS:NSRGY) was upgraded by investment analysts at Exane BNP Paribas from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Nestlé in a research note on Tuesday, June 1st. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Nestlé in a research note on Friday, April 23rd. Barclays reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Nestlé in a research note on Friday, April 23rd. Societe Generale reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Nestlé in a research note on Wednesday, April 28th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued a "sector perform" rating on shares of Nestlé in a research note on Friday, April 23rd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $127.00.

Shares of NSRGY opened at $126.72 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $364.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 0.37. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $120.91. Nestlé has a 1 year low of $104.50 and a 1 year high of $127.45. Read more …

 

 

AT&T (NYSE:T) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Scotiabank from a “sector underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $31.00 price objective on the technology company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $28.00. Scotiabank’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 6.53% from the company’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on T. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of AT&T from $34.00 to $32.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 28th. UBS Group raised shares of AT&T from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $32.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Friday, May 21st. New Street Research upgraded shares of AT&T from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $35.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, May 21st. Finally, Oppenheimer reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of AT&T in a report on Monday, April 26th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. AT&T has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $31.81. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of May 17, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Cummins (NYSE:CMI) was upgraded by analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

CMI has been the subject of several other reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Cummins from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the company from $250.00 to $325.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 10th. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Cummins in a report on Thursday, May 6th. Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell increased their price target on Cummins from $265.00 to $315.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 16th. Vertical Research assumed coverage on Cummins in a report on Wednesday, January 20th. They set a “hold” rating for the company. Finally, Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on Cummins from $285.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Cummins has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $256.25. Read more …

 

Visa (NYSE:V) was upgraded by research analysts at Daiwa Capital Markets from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $259.00 price target on the credit-card processor’s stock. Daiwa Capital Markets’ price target suggests a potential upside of 14.38% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Visa from $258.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, May 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Visa from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 4th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Visa from $245.00 to $260.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 28th. Robert W. Baird restated a “buy” rating and set a $256.00 price objective on shares of Visa in a report on Sunday, April 11th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on Visa in a report on Tuesday, January 26th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $232.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $248.29. Read more …

 

Mastercard (NYSE:MA) was upgraded by equities researchers at Daiwa Capital Markets from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The firm presently has a $402.00 price target on the credit services provider's stock. Daiwa Capital Markets' target price would suggest a potential upside of 10.65% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Macquarie lifted their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $385.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, April 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on shares of Mastercard in a research note on Wednesday, January 27th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $380.00 price objective for the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Mastercard from $440.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 6th. Truist raised their target price on shares of Mastercard from $415.00 to $450.00 in a report on Friday, March 5th. Finally, Raymond James raised their target price on shares of Mastercard from $345.00 to $371.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Mastercard currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $388.65. Read more …

 

 

UBS Group (NYSE:UBS) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to a "buy" rating in a report released on Wednesday, AnalystRatings.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Kepler Capital Markets reissued a "buy" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Friday, February 19th. Berenberg Bank reissued a "buy" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Thursday, April 29th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "equal weight" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Monday, April 12th. Barclays reissued an "underweight" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Wednesday, April 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Wednesday, April 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. UBS Group presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $16.00.

NYSE UBS opened at $15.53 on Wednesday. The business's fifty day moving average is $15.65 and its 200-day moving average is $14.97. UBS Group has a one year low of $9.75 and a one year high of $16.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.28, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.19, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 1.00. Read more …