Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of June 24, 2019

Upgrades:

Nike (NYSE:NKE) was upgraded by Bank of America to an “underperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley set a $103.00 price objective on Nike and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $96.00 price objective on shares of Nike in a report on Wednesday, June 19th. UBS Group set a $85.00 price objective on Nike and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 17th. Zacks Investment Research raised Nike from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $95.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, May 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $90.00 price objective on shares of Nike in a report on Friday, April 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and twenty-four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $87.58. Read more …

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) was upgraded by investment analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other analysts have also issued reports on DE. Zacks Investment Research lowered Deere & Company from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. UBS Group initiated coverage on Deere & Company in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $238.00 price target on the stock. Macquarie initiated coverage on Deere & Company in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Berenberg Bank initiated coverage on Deere & Company in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered Deere & Company from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $166.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Monday, May 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Deere & Company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $165.82. Read more …

United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) was upgraded by investment analysts at Cowen from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has a $150.00 target price on the conglomerate’s stock, up from their prior target price of $135.00. Cowen’s price target points to a potential upside of 15.23% from the company’s previous close. Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on UTX. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of United Technologies from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of United Technologies from $155.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, May 20th. Vertical Research raised shares of United Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, June 14th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of United Technologies from $142.00 to $149.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $159.00 price objective on shares of United Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $150.50. Read more …

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) was upgraded by analysts at Mizuho from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. ValuEngine lowered shares of ConocoPhillips from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. Credit Suisse Group lowered shares of ConocoPhillips from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $64.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of ConocoPhillips from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $74.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Piper Jaffray Companies upgraded shares of ConocoPhillips from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $68.00 to $75.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $77.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $78.36. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of February 11, 2019

Acquisitions:

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) Director Tanya L. Domier bought 2,652 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 8th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $94.23 per share, for a total transaction of $249,897.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. YUM traded down $1.23 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $93.26. 2,455,151 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,964,816. The company has a market capitalization of $29.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.60. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 1-year low of $76.32 and a 1-year high of $95.45. Read more …

Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ) Director Rod Canion bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 8th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $17.97 per share, for a total transaction of $179,700.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 64,451 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,158,184.47. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Shares of Invesco stock opened at $18.19 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82. Invesco Ltd. has a fifty-two week low of $15.38 and a fifty-two week high of $35.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.50. Read more …

Kinder Morgan Inc (NYSE:KMI) Chairman Richard D. Kinder bought 200,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 12th. The shares were bought at an average price of $18.39 per share, for a total transaction of $3,678,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 236,492,545 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,349,097,902.55. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Shares of KMI stock traded up $0.21 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $18.48. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 14,480,387 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,133,665. Kinder Morgan Inc has a 12-month low of $14.62 and a 12-month high of $18.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. The company has a market cap of $39.64 billion, a PE ratio of 20.76, a P/E/G ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.89. Read more …

Disposals:

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) COO W Gilbert West sold 21,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.49, for a total transaction of $1,060,290.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 136,799 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,906,981.51. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. DAL opened at $50.61 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.35. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 12-month low of $45.08 and a 12-month high of $61.32. Read more …

Dividend Aristocrats In Focus: United Technologies

It is not every day that a company is added to the Dividend Aristocrats. To become a member of this group, a company must increase its dividend for at least 25 consecutive years. The Dividend Aristocrats are such an exclusive group, that there were only 53 such companies with this title as of the end of 2018.

Four companies were added to the Dividend Aristocrats list in 2019, including industrial giant United Technologies (UTX).

United Technologies gave investors a 5% dividend increase last October. The stock currently yields just under 2.6%, but well above the 2% yield of the S&P 500. This article will examine if its dividend history and business performance is enough to warrant purchasing shares of the company.

Business Overview

United Technologies was founded in 1934. Today, the company has more than 200,000 employees around the world, and the stock has a market capitalization of nearly $100 billion.

United Technologies is a commercial aerospace and defense company. For the time being, United Technologies is composed of four business divisions: Pratt & Whitney, which manufactures and services engines for commercial and military customers; Otis, the world’s largest producer and servicer of elevators and escalators; UTC Climate, which produces HVAC equipment; and UTC Aerospace, which creates aerospace and industrial products.

This is a period of great change for United Technologies. After spinning offing certain businesses, United Technologies will be composed of two business divisions: Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace Systems, which creates aerospace and industrial products.

Continue reading …

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Analysis Collection

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 28, 2019

Upgrades:

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) was upgraded by analysts at Bank of America to a “buy” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $140.00 price target on the software giant’s stock, down from their prior price target of $150.00. Bank of America‘s price target points to a potential upside of 30.63% from the stock’s previous close. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call. A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Credit Suisse Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a report on Sunday. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Microsoft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $118.00 price target on the stock in a report on Thursday. Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $123.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a report on Wednesday, January 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $124.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a report on Monday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 price objective on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Monday, December 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, thirty-three have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $121.95. Read more …

American Express (NYSE:AXP) was upgraded by stock analysts at Atlantic Securities from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Several other research analysts also recently commented on AXP. Wells Fargo & Co lifted their target price on shares of American Express from $115.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 1st. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of American Express from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 9th. Oppenheimer reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $114.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, October 18th. Nomura lifted their target price on shares of American Express from $128.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 19th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of American Express from $113.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. American Express has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $111.37. Read more …

Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has $405.36 price objective on the asset manager’s stock. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for BlackRock’s Q1 2019 earnings at $5.98 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $6.50 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $6.71 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $6.81 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $26.00 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $28.75 EPS. Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Credit Suisse Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $532.00 target price on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Thursday, January 17th. Argus reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Thursday, January 17th. Wells Fargo & Co reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $425.00 target price (up from $410.00) on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Wednesday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank downgraded BlackRock from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $444.00 to $405.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 10th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Thursday, January 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. BlackRock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $501.03. Read more …

Piper Jaffray Companies upgraded shares of British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on BTI. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of British American Tobacco from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Tuesday, October 16th. They set a market perform rating for the company. DZ Bank reaffirmed a sell rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Thursday, October 18th. UBS Group downgraded shares of British American Tobacco from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, October 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of British American Tobacco from an underperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. British American Tobacco has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $66.00. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 31, 2018

Upgrades:

Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a report released on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has $77.00 price target on the medical instruments supplier’s stock, up from their previous price target of $66.00. A number of other analysts also recently commented on BAX. Zacks Investment Research reiterated a hold rating and issued a $71.00 price objective on shares of Baxter International in a report on Monday, November 12th. Piper Jaffray Companies cut their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $83.00 to $72.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 1st. Citigroup upgraded shares of Baxter International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $69.00 to $76.00 in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $86.00 to $76.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 1st. Finally, Credit Suisse Group began coverage on shares of Baxter International in a report on Monday, December 17th. They issued an outperform rating and a $77.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Baxter International has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $75.72. Read more …

Viacom (NASDAQ:VIAB) was upgraded by analysts at Barrington Research from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm presently has a $35.00 target price on the stock. Barrington Research’s target price suggests a potential upside of 32.63% from the stock’s previous close. Other analysts have also issued research reports about the company. BidaskClub raised Viacom from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 19th. ValuEngine raised Viacom from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 20th. Zacks Investment Research raised Viacom from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $37.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, October 12th. UBS Group lowered Viacom from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $34.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, November 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on Viacom in a report on Friday, December 7th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $33.76. Read more …

Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC) from an underperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report released on Wednesday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have $45.50 target price on the financial services provider’s stock. Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research lowered Wells Fargo & Co from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, December 17th. ValuEngine lowered Wells Fargo & Co from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 12th. Credit Suisse Group decreased their target price on Wells Fargo & Co from $62.00 to $60.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 7th. Citigroup upgraded Wells Fargo & Co from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Wells Fargo & Co to $65.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, October 15th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $62.36. Read more …

Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report issued on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. They currently have $59.60 price objective on the industrial products company’s stock. EMR has been the topic of several other research reports. Barclays lifted their price target on Emerson Electric from $85.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, September 24th. Cowen reissued a buy rating and set a $81.00 price target on shares of Emerson Electric in a research report on Wednesday, September 19th. Bank of America upped their price objective on Emerson Electric from $82.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 4th. Berenberg Bank set a $67.00 price target on Emerson Electric and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 19th. Finally, Gordon Haskett lowered Emerson Electric from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Emerson Electric currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $75.55. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 26, 2018

Upgrades:

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) was upgraded by stock analysts at Cowen from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. NVS has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Novartis from a “neutral” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 16th. Bank of America raised Novartis from an “underperform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $74.71 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, September 10th. Zacks Investment Research cut Novartis from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Thursday, October 11th. Finally, Citigroup raised Novartis from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 11th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $84.86. Read more …

HSBC upgraded shares of Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Several other research analysts also recently commented on SLB. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Schlumberger from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 23rd. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Schlumberger from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, October 4th. Macquarie set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Schlumberger and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 2nd. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of Schlumberger in a research report on Wednesday, October 10th. They set a market perform rating for the company. Finally, Stephens began coverage on shares of Schlumberger in a research report on Friday, October 12th. They set a weight rating for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $76.94. Read more …

AT&T (NYSE:T) was upgraded by research analysts at Moffett Nathanson from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm presently has a $28.00 target price on the technology company’s stock. Moffett Nathanson’s price objective would indicate a potential downside of 8.02% from the stock’s previous close. A number of other research firms have also recently commented on T. Bank of America set a $37.00 target price on shares of AT&T and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 23rd. ValuEngine raised shares of AT&T from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 12th. Macquarie reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of AT&T in a report on Wednesday, September 12th. Wells Fargo & Co cut shares of AT&T from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $40.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, August 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of AT&T from $38.00 to $35.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $36.35. Read more …

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) was upgraded by equities researchers at Deutsche Bank from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $175.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock. Deutsche Bank’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 15.15% from the stock’s current price. Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Zacks Investment Research raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $176.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 19th. UBS Group increased their price target on Union Pacific from $161.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 20th. Bank of America downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $164.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, October 18th. Loop Capital raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 18th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $180.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Wednesday, September 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $165.24. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: May 21 - 25, 2018

Disposals:

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) SVP Daniel J. Riccio sold 17,372 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.64, for a total transaction of $3,259,682.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 43,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,189,360.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Shares of Apple opened at $187.63 on Tuesday, according to MarketBeat. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a current ratio of 1.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $945.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.26. Apple has a 52-week low of $142.20 and a 52-week high of $190.37. Read more …

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) insider Min H. Kao sold 225,451 shares of Garmin stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.77, for a total transaction of $13,475,206.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,232,074 shares in the company, valued at $372,491,062.98. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Shares of Garmin opened at $60.41 on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Garmin Ltd. has a 1 year low of $49.80 and a 1 year high of $65.96. The firm has a market cap of $11.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.98. Read more …

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) SVP Sandra Macquillan sold 3,045 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.63, for a total transaction of $321,643.35. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. NYSE:KMB traded down $0.20 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $104.58. The stock had a trading volume of 52,172 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,324,722. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.96. Kimberly-Clark has a 1-year low of $97.10 and a 1-year high of $134.29. The company has a market capitalization of $36.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.66. Read more …

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Director Richard T. Burke sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.82, for a total transaction of $3,732,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,746,533 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $434,572,341.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Shares of NYSE UNH traded down $0.92 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $244.26. 3,047,842 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,654,719. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.71. The company has a market capitalization of $238.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.75. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $174.52 and a one year high of $250.79. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: April 30 - May 4, 2018

Disposals:

Parker Hannifin (NYSE:PH) Director Candy M. Obourn sold 1,825 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.93, for a total value of $300,997.25. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Shares of PH stock traded up $0.65 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $165.03. 1,738,235 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,220,677. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.59. Parker Hannifin has a 52 week low of $151.17 and a 52 week high of $212.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $21,870.51, a PE ratio of 20.41, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.42. Read more …

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) Director Jody Freeman sold 3,716 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.55, for a total value of $243,583.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. NYSE:COP opened at $65.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 1.86. ConocoPhillips has a 52 week low of $42.26 and a 52 week high of $67.30. The firm has a market cap of $76,580.83, a price-to-earnings ratio of 109.98, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.22. Read more …

Costco (NASDAQ:COST) Director John W. Meisenbach sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $196.49, for a total transaction of $589,470.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 8,654 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,700,424.46. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Shares of Costco stock traded down $2.55 on Wednesday, hitting $194.00. The company had a trading volume of 2,324,250 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,452,869. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $86,517.80, a PE ratio of 33.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.95. Costco has a 52 week low of $150.00 and a 52 week high of $199.88. Read more …

Whirlpool Co. (NYSE:WHR) EVP Joseph T. Liotine sold 1,950 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.85, for a total transaction of $303,907.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 15,954 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,486,430.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Shares of WHR stock opened at $151.74 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11,038.29, a PE ratio of 11.04, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.85. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Whirlpool Co. has a twelve month low of $145.59 and a twelve month high of $202.99. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 8, 2018

Upgrades:

JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research note released on Monday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage currently has $200.00 target price on the industrial products company’s stock, up from their prior target price of $161.96. A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group set a $180.00 price target on Caterpillar and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 5th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Vetr downgraded Caterpillar from a sell rating to a strong sell rating and set a $141.37 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, January 4th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a buy rating and issued a $195.00 price objective (up from $165.00) on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Thursday, January 4th. ValuEngine raised Caterpillar from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, December 31st. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on Caterpillar from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $145.87. Read more …

Bank of America upgraded shares of T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ:TROW) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have $125.00 target price on the asset manager’s stock, up from their previous target price of $113.00. Several other research analysts have also commented on the stock. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of T. Rowe Price Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. Jefferies Group reissued a buy rating and set a $104.00 target price (up previously from $96.00) on shares of T. Rowe Price Group in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of T. Rowe Price Group from $94.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, October 27th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of T. Rowe Price Group from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Friday, October 27th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of T. Rowe Price Group from $79.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, October 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. T. Rowe Price Group has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $98.70. Read more …

United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) was upgraded by Goldman Sachs Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Monday, Marketbeat reports. Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of United Technologies in a research note on Friday, November 10th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $126.00 target price on shares of United Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, October 10th. Atlantic Securities upgraded shares of United Technologies from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of United Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of United Technologies from $122.00 to $124.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 25th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $125.63. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 1, 2018

Upgrades:

JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research note released on Tuesday morning. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has $60.00 price objective on the healthcare product maker’s stock. Read more …

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) was upgraded by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday. The firm presently has a $67.00 target price on the healthcare product maker’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 13.71% from the stock’s current price. Read more …

Bank of America upgraded shares of Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Read more …

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday. Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research cut Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 26th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Baxter International in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $66.00 price objective on shares of Baxter International in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Baxter International in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Baxter International from $70.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $68.64. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of September 4, 2017

Upgrades:

Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Walt Disney Company (The) (NYSE:DIS) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning. Wells Fargo & Company currently has $116.00 price target on the entertainment giant’s stock, up from their previous price target of $109.00. Several other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) set a $134.00 price target on shares of Walt Disney Company (The) and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, May 20th. Read more …

Daimler AG (NASDAQ:DDAIF) was upgraded by investment analysts at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday. Shares of Daimler AG (NASDAQ:DDAIF) opened at 73.99 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $71.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $73.31. The company has a market capitalization of $79.15 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.83. Daimler AG has a one year low of $65.82 and a one year high of $78.21. Read more …

Downgrades:

Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday. A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on VIAB. Zacks Investment Research raised Viacom from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 target price for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. Read more …

United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) was downgraded by research analysts at Cowen and Company from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday. A number of other brokerages have also commented on UTX. Zacks Investment Research upgraded United Technologies Corporation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $135.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. UBS AG upped their target price on United Technologies Corporation to $135.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 10th. Jefferies Group LLC restated a “buy” rating on shares of United Technologies Corporation in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. Read more …

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) was downgraded by equities researchers at Cowen and Company from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, MarketBeat reports. They presently have a $250.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock, down from their prior target price of $370.00. Cowen and Company’s target price suggests a potential downside of 16.67% from the company’s previous close. Read more …

Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) was downgraded by stock analysts at Bank of America Corporation from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, MarketBeat reports. AFL has been the topic of several other research reports. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Aflac from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $84.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 2nd. Read more …

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE:GSK) was downgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued on Friday, MarketBeat reports. Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Argus reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $50.00 price target on shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC in a report on Thursday, August 31st. BidaskClub upgraded shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, August 25th. Read more …

Pepsico, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) was downgraded by Credit Suisse Group from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $124.00 price objective on the stock. Credit Suisse Group’s target price suggests a potential upside of 7.79% from the stock’s previous close. The analysts wrote, “total beverage company” portfolio with product lines ranging from carbonated drinks to juices and Gatorade, Grandet commented in the downgrade note. While this did help to boost PepsiCo’s stock higher of the year, including an 11 percent gain over the past year, the stock’s risk to reward profile is now balanced. Read more …