Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 28 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was upgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on BAC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Bank of America from $52.50 to $53.50 in a research note on Thursday, February 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Friday, December 17th. Argus boosted their target price on shares of Bank of America from $50.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 20th. Societe Generale downgraded shares of Bank of America from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 5th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised shares of Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $42.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 8th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $50.38. Read more …

 

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $440.00 target price on the industrial products company's stock, up from their previous target price of $355.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price would suggest a potential upside of 0.81% from the company's previous close.

A number of other analysts have also commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Deere & Company from $400.00 to $417.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 22nd. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Deere & Company from $354.00 to $415.00 in a research note on Monday, November 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $450.00 price objective on shares of Deere & Company in a research note on Friday, December 3rd. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Deere & Company from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $412.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, February 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Deere & Company in a research report on Friday, March 11th. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $455.00 price target for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Deere & Company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $437.59. Read more …

 

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) was upgraded by equities researchers 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 firm currently has a $255.00 price objective on the industrial products company's stock, down from their prior price objective of $262.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price objective suggests a potential upside of 20.43% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $218.00 to $210.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $239.00 to $263.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, December 13th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $231.00 to $220.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $239.54. Read more …

 

 

 

Downgrades:

 

Citigroup (NYSE:C) was downgraded by analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. They currently have a $60.00 price objective on the stock, down from their prior price objective of $75.00. Morgan Stanley’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 5.75% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on C. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Citigroup from $83.00 to $78.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Citigroup from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $79.00 to $60.00 in a report on Monday, March 7th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on Citigroup from $88.00 to $85.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 18th. Credit Suisse Group reduced their price target on Citigroup from $72.00 to $66.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 7th. Finally, Oppenheimer reduced their price target on Citigroup from $120.00 to $114.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $74.75. Read more …

 

Campbell Soup (NYSE:CPB) was downgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $46.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $47.00. Royal Bank of Canada’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 3.30% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on CPB. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on shares of Campbell Soup from $41.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Campbell Soup from $45.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 1st. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Campbell Soup from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 10th. Evercore ISI restated a “hold” rating on shares of Campbell Soup in a research report on Thursday, December 16th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Campbell Soup from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and ten have issued a hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $44.56. Read more …

 

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was downgraded by equities researchers at Royal Bank of Canada from an "outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on MO. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 26th. Bank of America downgraded shares of Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $56.00 to $50.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Altria Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $48.00 to $57.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 22nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $54.17.

Shares of MO opened at $53.62 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.67. The stock has a market cap of $97.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.32, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a 50-day moving average of $51.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $48.29. Altria Group has a 12-month low of $42.53 and a 12-month high of $53.96. Read more …

 

 

CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) was downgraded by investment analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $110.00 price objective on the pharmacy operator's stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft's price target points to a potential upside of 1.81% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Truist Financial upped their price target on CVS Health from $118.00 to $124.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on CVS Health from $98.00 to $107.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, December 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on CVS Health in a report on Tuesday, December 14th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $121.00 price objective for the company. Tigress Financial upped their price objective on CVS Health from $108.00 to $122.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, December 23rd. Finally, Seaport Global Securities initiated coverage on CVS Health in a report on Wednesday, December 1st. They issued a "buy" rating and a $110.00 price target for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen 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 an average price target of $112.95. Read more …

 

Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) was downgraded by equities research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $70.00 to $63.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 22nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded Bank of New York Mellon from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and increased their target price for the company from $66.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 11th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Bank of New York Mellon from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $66.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, January 10th. Barclays increased their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $62.00 to $74.00 in a research note on Monday, January 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Bank of New York Mellon from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and increased their target price for the company from $62.50 to $67.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 16th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $63.57. Read more …

 

Kimco Realty (NYSE:KIM) was downgraded by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised Kimco Realty from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $24.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Monday, January 10th. StockNews.com raised Kimco Realty from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 22nd. Citigroup increased their price target on Kimco Realty from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Kimco Realty from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $24.00 to $26.00 in a research report on Monday, January 3rd. Finally, Truist Financial raised their target price on Kimco Realty from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $26.07. Read more …

 

 

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) was downgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on PG. StockNews.com raised Procter & Gamble from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Truist Financial upgraded Procter & Gamble from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the company from $165.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 22nd. Zacks Investment Research cut Procter & Gamble from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $163.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Procter & Gamble from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Procter & Gamble from $179.00 to $173.00 in a research report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $158.85. Read more …

 

HP (NYSE:HPQ) was downgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They presently have a $31.00 price objective on the computer maker’s stock, down from their prior price objective of $34.00. Morgan Stanley’s target price indicates a potential downside of 20.19% from the company’s previous close.

Several other analysts also recently commented on HPQ. Barclays increased their target price on shares of HP from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of HP from $38.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 20th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of HP in a research report on Thursday. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on shares of HP from $32.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 11th. Finally, Evercore ISI reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of HP in a research report on Friday, February 25th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, HP currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $35.79. Read more …

 

Canadian Utilities (TSE:CU) was downgraded by TD Securities from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a C$39.00 price objective on the stock. TD Securities’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 2.20% from the company’s current price.

Separately, National Bankshares decreased their price objective on shares of Canadian Utilities from C$37.00 to C$36.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 26th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Canadian Utilities currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$37.11.

Shares of TSE CU traded down C$0.16 during trading on Friday, hitting C$38.16. 177,970 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 643,627. The company has a market cap of C$10.28 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.54. Canadian Utilities has a 1 year low of C$33.76 and a 1 year high of C$38.51. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is C$36.17 and its 200 day moving average price is C$35.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 140.27, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.10. Read more …

 

 

Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) was downgraded by Robert W. Baird from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $51.00 price objective on the pharmacy operator’s stock, down from their prior price objective of $70.00. Robert W. Baird’s price target indicates a potential upside of 13.92% from the company’s previous close.

WBA has been the topic of several other research reports. StockNews.com started coverage on Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Thursday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley downgraded Walgreens Boots Alliance from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $56.00 to $49.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 16th. Mizuho raised their price target on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $51.00 to $56.00 in a research note on Monday, January 10th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Walgreens Boots Alliance from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $56.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 4th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Walgreens Boots Alliance from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research note on Monday, January 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $52.33. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of January 11, 2021 (Part 1)

 

Upgrades:

 

Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) was upgraded by analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report issued on Monday, Anlyst Ratings reports. The firm currently has a $55.00 price objective on the pharmacy operator’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $41.00. Robert W. Baird’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 21.65% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on WBA. Credit Suisse Group initiated coverage on Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research note on Thursday. They set a “neutral” rating and a $42.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $40.00 to $44.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 5th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $43.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 16th. BidaskClub downgraded Walgreens Boots Alliance from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, December 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $37.00 to $33.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $43.65. Read more …

 

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) was upgraded by Morgan Stanley from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued on Monday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $57.00 price objective on the oil and gas company's stock, up from their previous price objective of $49.00. Morgan Stanley's price target points to a potential upside of 25.38% from the stock's current price.

XOM has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Credit Suisse Group decreased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $47.00 to $37.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 2nd. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $39.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Friday, December 18th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 1st. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a "sector underperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and set a $45.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Raymond James restated a "sell" rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, September 18th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nineteen have given a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $48.30. Read more …

 

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Smith Barney Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Bank of America from an “overweight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 30th. Barclays upped their price target on Bank of America from $33.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 4th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $28.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on shares of Bank of America from $31.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 11th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada set a $28.00 price target on shares of Bank of America and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Bank of America currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $31.31. Read more …

 

 

The Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) was upgraded by investment analysts at Smith Barney Citigroup from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $57.00 price target on the bank's stock, up from their previous price target of $44.00. Smith Barney Citigroup's price objective suggests a potential upside of 26.78% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Barclays increased their target price on The Bank of New York Mellon from $54.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, January 4th. Bank of America cut The Bank of New York Mellon from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $42.00 to $39.00 in a report on Friday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley upgraded The Bank of New York Mellon from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $51.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, November 30th. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on The Bank of New York Mellon from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, December 11th. Finally, Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell upgraded The Bank of New York Mellon from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the stock from $44.00 to $57.00 in a report on Monday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. The Bank of New York Mellon currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $47.18. Read more …

 

Best Stocks For 2021: Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA)

 

Despite recent setbacks, Walgreens has a positive long-term growth outlook

 

Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) is a global pharmacy-led health enterprise, and WBA stock is one of the best to buy for 2021.

 

Overall, Walgreens is a large and storied enterprise. It is one of the two largest companies in its industry, the other being CVS Health (NYSE:CVS). It was founded in 1901 and now has more than 21,000 stores in 11 countries. When you include equity investments, Walgreens has a presence in more than 25 countries.

 

Additionally, WBA stock has a $34 billion market capitalization and Walgreens generates $139.5 billion in annual revenue. And the company has increased its dividend for 45 consecutive years, making it a Dividend Aristocrat.

 

Walgreens Stock Is Undervalued:

 

Walgreens has a long history of success and a shareholder-friendly corporate culture of dividend increases.

 

Despite this, the company is trading for a low price-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 8.2 times expected fiscal 2021 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.98.

 

 

For comparison, Walgreens has traded with an average P/E ratio of around 15 over the last decade.

 

If Walgreens were to return to a P/E ratio of 15 over the next year, the company’s stock would surge 83% without additional growth. Even a return to a more reasonable yyy ratio of 12 would result in 46% returns.

 

Continue reading …

 

Walgreens: A Dividend Growth Investor's Dream

 

A deep dive into the company's ability to continue paying dividends

 

Dividend growth investing isn't as easy as simply buying stocks trading at a yield that is appealing and then holding forever. Dividend growth investors do seek investments that provide income, but these investors usually have a time horizon that is very long. As these investors plan on living off dividend income in their retirement years, the holding period could easily be several decades.

 

Therefore, dividend growth investors have to be reasonably assured that their investment dollars are building positions in companies that will likely be able to continue paying and raising dividends in the future.

 

Aside from the dividend yield itself, there are several areas that dividend growth investors should review prior to making a stock purchase.

 

As such, we will use a variety of metrics in order to determine if Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) is worth purchasing.

 

Walgreens is the largest drug distributor in the world. The company has nearly 14,000 stores around the world, including almost 9,300 stores in the U.S. and its territories. Walgreens added 2,186 Rite Aid stores to its core business in 2017. The company is heavily dependent on its pharmacy business, as nearly three-quarters of last year's revenue came from this segment. General merchandise contributes the remaining quarter. Walgreens has a market capitalization of $31 billion.

 

 

 

 

Walgreens most recent quarter was challenging. Revenue was essentially flat, but adjusted earnings per share fell 44% and missed Wall Street analysts' projections.

 

That said, the company's revenue has steadily improved over the last decade.

 

Continue reading …

 

Walgreens: Ridiculously Cheap at Current Levels

Just over a week ago, I highlighted several stocks I thought looked attractive based on their valuations and dividend yields relative to their historical averages.

Of these names, Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) was trading the furthest below its 10-year average valuation. The stock also offers a 4%+ dividend yield at the moment, which is nearly double the stock's average yield since 2010. A year-to-date share price decline of 28% has aided in realizing these figures.

Quarterly highlights

While I've already stated I am interested in the stock because of its valuation and dividend, Walgreens' most recent quarter was solid. Revenue grew 3.7% to $35.8 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2020, beating analysts' estimates by $575 million. Excluding the impact of currency translation, revenue was higher by 4.1%. Adjusted earnings per share decreased 7.3% to $1.52, though this was 6 cents higher than Wall Street analysts were looking for. Earnings declined mostly due to a challenging retail market in the UK.

The Retail Pharmacy U.S. segment had sales growth of 3.8% to $27.2 billion. Comparable same-store sales for locations opened at least one year were higher by 2.7%. Pharmacy sales were up 5.3%, with comparable sales growing 3.7%. The total number of prescriptions filled reached 296.8 million, 3.7% higher than the previous year. Even with this growth, prescription market share decreased 50 basis points to 21%. Still, Walgreens' prescription market share is second only to CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS), which means the company is still a dominant player in the U.S. market.

Retail Pharmacy U.S.'s retail business had a sales decline of 0.3%, but, excluding tobacco sales, improved 1.9%. Overall, comparable sales were up 0.6%. Strong demand in Health & Wellness due to cold, cough and flu season aided results.

Continue reading …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of April 6, 2020

Upgrades:

UBS Group upgraded shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a report published on Monday morning, BenzingaRatingsTable reports. UBS Group currently has $44.00 price target on the pharmacy operator’s stock, down from their prior price target of $49.00.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. SunTrust Banks cut their price target on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $58.00 to $42.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Friday. TheStreet cut Walgreens Boots Alliance from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 25th. BidaskClub lowered Walgreens Boots Alliance from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, March 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $62.00 to $56.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Co reissued a hold rating on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and fourteen have issued a hold rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $52.13. Read more …

JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has $36.00 target price on the airline’s stock, down from their prior target price of $49.00.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Barclays restated a hold rating on shares of Southwest Airlines in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Southwest Airlines from a hold rating to a sell rating and set a $58.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Raymond James upgraded shares of Southwest Airlines from a market perform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $50.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. TheStreet lowered shares of Southwest Airlines from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, UBS Group lowered shares of Southwest Airlines to a reduce rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Southwest Airlines currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $53.42. Read more …

Loop Capital upgraded shares of Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning, BenzingaRatingsTable reports. They currently have $105.00 price objective on the home improvement retailer’s stock, down from their prior price objective of $115.00.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a research report on Wednesday, February 26th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $115.00 to $94.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Lowe’s Companies in a report on Friday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Co reduced their target price on shares of Lowe’s Companies from $140.00 to $90.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of Lowe’s Companies from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have given a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $124.32. Read more …

Scotiabank upgraded shares of Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE:OHI) from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning, Briefing.com Automated Import reports. The brokerage currently has $37.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Bank of America downgraded Omega Healthcare Investors from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Wells Fargo & Co reduced their price objective on Omega Healthcare Investors from $43.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 26th. Raymond James raised Omega Healthcare Investors from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $30.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Omega Healthcare Investors from $44.00 to $25.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Mizuho started coverage on Omega Healthcare Investors in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. They set a buy rating and a $50.00 price target on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $37.94. Read more …

It might be time to focus on prescriptions

Created through the combination of Walgreens and Alliance Boots in 2014, Walgreens Boots Alliance is a leading pharmacy retailer and drug distributor in the world. It is the largest retail pharmacy across the USA and Europe. The company also has a presence in 25 other countries

Walgreens’ operations can be organized into three segments – Retail Pharmacy USA is the largest accounting for ~75% of 2018 revenue (prescription drugs and general merchandise), Retail Pharmacy International (9% – prescription drugs and retail health, beauty, toiletries, and other consumer products) and Pharmaceutical Wholesale (16% – wholesaling and distribution of brand-name pharmaceuticals). Its retail segment consists of 18,500 stores operating in 11 countries with over 390 distribution centers.

Walgreens has a huge portfolio of iconic brands like Walgreens, Duane Reade (U.S.), Boots and Alliance Healthcare, as well as health and beauty product brands such as No7, Botanics, Liz Earle, and Soap & Glory.

Continue reading …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 10, 2018

Upgrades:

ABB (NYSE:ABB) was upgraded by research analysts at HSBC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on ABB. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of ABB in a research note on Thursday, August 23rd. ValuEngine raised ABB from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 29th. DNB Markets started coverage on ABB in a research note on Monday, September 3rd. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup raised ABB from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 4th. Finally, Societe Generale raised ABB from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. ABB currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $24.34. Read more …

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) was upgraded by Wolfe Research from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Mizuho reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, October 22nd. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ConocoPhillips from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $88.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, October 8th. Piper Jaffray Companies reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $66.00 price target on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, November 19th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded ConocoPhillips from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $90.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Thursday, September 20th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on ConocoPhillips from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 16th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $75.22. Read more …

DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH (NYSE:DLR) was upgraded by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a $136.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock, up from their previous target price of $124.00. Jefferies Financial Group’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 16.45% from the stock’s previous close. A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets set a $120.00 price target on shares of DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 26th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH from $131.00 to $126.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 6th. Guggenheim raised shares of DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH from $131.00 to $124.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 5th. Finally, Berenberg Bank began coverage on shares of DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH in a research report on Thursday, September 20th. They set a “hold” rating and a $127.00 price objective on the stock. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. DIGITAL RLTY TR/SH has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $126.20. Read more …

Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Sanofi’s Q4 2018 earnings at $0.58 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $3.06 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $3.13 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $3.51 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $3.76 EPS and FY2022 earnings at $4.00 EPS. Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on SNY. Argus increased their price objective on Sanofi from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 24th. Zacks Investment Research raised Sanofi from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, August 28th. Bank of America raised Sanofi from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $55.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, September 10th. Guggenheim initiated coverage on Sanofi in a report on Monday, October 8th. They set a neutral rating for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating on shares of Sanofi in a report on Monday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Sanofi presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $49.50. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of November 19, 2018

Disposals:

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) Director Alan G. Hassenfeld sold 400,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.41, for a total value of $38,964,000.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 30,945 shares in the company, valued at $3,014,352.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Shares of NASDAQ HAS opened at $94.89 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.41, a quick ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. Hasbro, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $79.00 and a fifty-two week high of $109.60. The company has a market capitalization of $12.36 billion, a PE ratio of 17.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.96. Read more …

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE:CHD) EVP Steven P. Cugine sold 15,000 shares of Church & Dwight stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.39, for a total value of $965,850.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 43,948 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,829,811.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. NYSE CHD opened at $65.53 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $15.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.02, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.31. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $44.53 and a fifty-two week high of $67.93. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Read more …

Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) EVP T Richard Riney sold 15,288 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.50, for a total value of $955,500.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

T Richard Riney also recently made the following trade(s):

On Friday, August 31st, T Richard Riney sold 13,708 shares of Ventas stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total value of $822,480.00.

Shares of NYSE:VTR opened at $61.36 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $22.23 billion, a PE ratio of 14.75, a PEG ratio of 4.62 and a beta of -0.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.56. Ventas, Inc. has a 12 month low of $46.55 and a 12 month high of $64.96. Read more …

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) insider Chris Kondo sold 3,408 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.00, for a total value of $647,520.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 8,940 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,698,600. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Shares of AAPL traded down $0.20 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $176.78. 31,104,724 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 32,756,955. The stock has a market capitalization of $913.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.26. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $150.24 and a 52-week high of $233.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.09. Read more …

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of July 16th, 2018

Disposals:

Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) EVP Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $195.71, for a total transaction of $298,457.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.
Sean E. Harper also recently made the following trade(s):

-On Tuesday, June 12th, Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of Amgen stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.27, for a total transaction of $281,011.75.
-On Monday, May 14th, Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of Amgen stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.10, for a total transaction of $265,502.50.

Shares of Amgen opened at $194.88 on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. Amgen, Inc. has a 52-week low of $163.31 and a 52-week high of $201.23. The company has a market capitalization of $129.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a current ratio of 3.88, a quick ratio of 3.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.14. Read more …

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) COO W Gilbert West sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $52.65, for a total transaction of $526,500.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 95,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,025,284.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Read more …

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) COO W Gilbert West sold 15,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.47, for a total value of $757,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 104,447 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,271,440.09. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link.

W Gilbert West also recently made the following trade(s):

On Wednesday, April 18th, W Gilbert West sold 17,250 shares of Delta Air Lines stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.00, for a total transaction of $948,750.00.

DAL stock traded down $0.10 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $50.67. 8,603,100 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,634,792. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The company has a market capitalization of $35.61 billion, a PE ratio of 10.28 and a beta of 1.12. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 1-year low of $44.59 and a 1-year high of $60.79. Read more ...

Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) insider Ellyn Shook sold 4,375 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.02, for a total value of $735,087.50. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 31,707 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,327,410.14. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Shares of ACN stock opened at $168.07 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $113.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.97. Accenture Plc has a one year low of $125.48 and a one year high of $168.95. Read more …

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) CEO Ian C. Read sold 486,753 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.36, for a total value of $18,185,092.08. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,145,693 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,803,090.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Shares of NYSE:PFE opened at $37.65 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $32.32 and a 12-month high of $39.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $223.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.93. Read more …