Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 15 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Chevron (NYSE:CVX) was upgraded by research analysts at UBS Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

CVX has been the topic of several other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Chevron from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $128.00 to $111.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 15th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Chevron from $109.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, November 1st. Piper Sandler increased their price target on Chevron from $126.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, July 23rd. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Raymond James increased their price target on Chevron from $134.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, November 1st. Finally, Redburn Partners raised Chevron from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 22nd. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $120.24.

Shares of CVX opened at $114.23 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $220.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.30. Chevron has a one year low of $81.03 and a one year high of $116.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.28. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $106.25 and a 200 day moving average price of $104.42. Read more …

 

Royal Dutch Shell (OTCMKTS:RDS-A) was upgraded by research analysts at Scotiabank from a “sector perform” rating to a “sector outperform” rating in a report issued on Wednesday, FinViz reports. The brokerage currently has a $56.00 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of $54.00. Scotiabank’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 22.83% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. TD Securities started coverage on Royal Dutch Shell in a research note on Monday, October 25th. They set a “buy” rating and a $56.00 target price for the company. HSBC dropped their price objective on Royal Dutch Shell to $51.70 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Royal Dutch Shell has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $53.14. Read more …

 

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) was upgraded by investment analysts at BMO Capital Markets from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

GILD has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “buy” rating and set a C$84.00 price target on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Monday, August 23rd. SVB Leerink dropped their price target on Gilead Sciences from $77.00 to $75.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 29th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Gilead Sciences from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $72.00 price target for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 10th. Evercore ISI reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Sunday, October 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 12th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $116.36. Read more …

 

 

TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) was upgraded by stock analysts at Morgan Stanley to a “top pick” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on TJX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $80.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, August 16th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $75.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 19th. MKM Partners upped their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $79.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 20th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of TJX Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $69.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 21st. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $80.53. Read more …

7 Top Dividend Stocks to Load up on as Winter Sets In

 

Here are seven top dividend stocks to consider right now ahead of the cold weather

 

 

There’s a tremendous amount of disagreement in the markets right now with respect to where the economy could be headed from here. Concerns related to inflation, overvaluation, and an eventual end to the existing accommodative monetary and fiscal stimulus measures have some investors considering taking the foot off the gas. Or, they’re looking at defensive dividend stocks to load up on heading into the winter.

 

Such a view certainly makes sense. Anything growth related has outperformed for so long, value has to catch up. At least, that’s the theory among many value investors who have been pushed aside for the past decade.

 

That said, technological innovation continues to drive the global economy. Perhaps taking an “all-in” or “all-out” approach doesn’t make sense. I’d agree with that view. However, easing off the gas and into some safer, dividend-paying stocks certainly seems like a prudent idea right now.

 

 

However, picking the best dividend stocks that provide not only income but capital appreciation potential — that’s a bit more difficult. These top seven stocks are ones on my watch list right now as potential additions in the near future. Let’s dive into why these companies provide a great defensive posture, while also providing decent upside potential in the years to come.

 

Continue reading …

 

Merck Is a Dividend Play Ready to Get Back in Gear

 

MRK stock is a good buy here for conservative income investors

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Can we go back to curing cancer again?

 

The Good News

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 45, 2021

 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks.

 

Recently, 8 popular companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 8 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

The J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) was upgraded by investment analysts at Guggenheim from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

SJM has been the topic of several other research reports. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of The J. M. Smucker from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $137.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, July 27th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on The J. M. Smucker from $126.00 to $117.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 27th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of The J. M. Smucker in a research note on Thursday, August 26th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $140.00 target price on the stock. Credit Suisse Group cut their price target on shares of The J. M. Smucker from $130.00 to $125.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of The J. M. Smucker from $140.00 to $132.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, The J. M. Smucker presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $129.33. Read more …

 

Algonquin Power & Utilities (TSE:AQN) was upgraded by analysts at BMO Capital Markets to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Wednesday, TipRanks reports. The firm presently has a C$17.00 price objective on the stock. BMO Capital Markets’ target price indicates a potential downside of 5.24% from the company’s previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Algonquin Power & Utilities from C$20.00 to C$21.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 23rd. CSFB set a C$16.00 price target on Algonquin Power & Utilities and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 27th. CIBC boosted their target price on Algonquin Power & Utilities to C$22.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, August 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a C$18.00 target price on shares of Algonquin Power & Utilities in a report on Monday, August 16th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a C$16.00 target price on shares of Algonquin Power & Utilities in a report on Wednesday, October 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of C$18.19. Read more …

 

Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO) (NYSE:BMO) was upgraded by research analysts at Desjardins to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, TipRanks reports. The firm currently has a C$145.00 target price on the bank’s stock. Desjardins’ target price would suggest a potential upside of 4.17% from the company’s current price. Desjardins also issued estimates for Bank of Montreal’s Q4 2021 earnings at $3.10 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $12.72 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $12.72 EPS and FY2023 earnings at $13.10 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. National Bankshares increased their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$139.00 to C$149.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Barclays upgraded shares of Bank of Montreal from an “underperform” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a C$83.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 7th. National Bank Financial increased their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal to C$149.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. CSFB increased their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$144.00 to C$147.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 1st. Finally, Cormark upped their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$138.00 to C$144.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 25th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of C$138.66. Read more …

 

 

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) was upgraded by investment analysts at Gordon Haskett from an “accumulate” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, PriceTargets.com reports. The firm currently has a $575.00 price objective on the retailer’s stock, up from their prior price objective of $525.00. Gordon Haskett’s target price points to a potential upside of 12.85% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on COST. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $480.00 to $525.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 4th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 4th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Tigress Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $520.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $525.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $468.00 to $472.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 4th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $496.23. Read more …

7 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy to Build Long-Term Wealth

 

Stay ahead of the trend with these relevant companies

 

At surface level, the concept of finding the best retirement stocks to buy is a patently obvious one: acquire shares of stable blue chips that have a long history of consistent and robust dividend payouts. Then, just sit back during your golden years while these corporate giants work hard for you for a change.

 

While carrying plenty of truth, the reality is that retirement stocks represent a tricky subject because retirement itself is fraught with uncertainty. In prior generations, people could simply depend on the unprecedented strength of the U.S. economy during the post-World War II era. Frankly, no one could challenge this nation. But the rise of China along with shifting societal and technological trends suggest that American hegemony is no longer dependably viable.

 

For instance, banking on the rise of personal computers would have been a great opportunity if you were heading into your golden years during the 1980s and 1990s. Nowadays, the rise and rapid proliferation of smart mobile devices have made investing strictly on legacy tech platforms an incredibly risky proposition. Therefore, retirement stocks don’t just face outside threats but internal headwinds as well.

 

 

Further, the outlook for American society is not clear cut because of the potentially lingering impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. As The Wall Street Journal pointed out, life expectancy fell by 1.5% in 2020, “the biggest decline since at least World War II.” In addition, the financial devastation — particularly against underprivileged and at-risk communities — may drag the economy for years to come. This too will affect retirement stocks.

 

Continue reading …

 

The Kiplinger Dividend 15: Our Favorite Dividend-Paying Stocks

 

All of our favorite dividend stocks hiked payouts over the past year, and yields, on average, trounced the yield of the S&P 500.

 

 

The past year was a recovery year for dividends.

 

A record profit rebound for U.S. companies powered by the reopening of the economy puts the S&P 500 Index on track in 2021 for its 10th straight year of record dividend payouts.

 

In the third quarter, S&P dividends hit a quarterly record of $15.36 per share, and forecasts point to a new record in the fourth quarter. For the full year, S&P Dow Jones Indices sees payouts rising nearly 5%, to $60.97, for stocks in the index, following 2020's record payout of $58.28.

 

Unlike last year, when 42 S&P 500 companies suspended dividends to preserve cash during the pandemic, just one stock halted payouts this year. "Dividends are back," says Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P.

 

Members of the Kiplinger Dividend 15, our favorite dividend stocks, benefited from the resurgence. All of our companies boosted their payouts over the past year. As a group, our dividend payers yield an average of 3.2%, more than twice the S&P 500's 1.4% yield.

 

 

Things weren't as rosy on a total-return basis, however. Over the past 12 months, the Dividend 15 returned 21.1%, on average, compared with a 29.3% gain for the broad market. The biggest gainer was asset manager Blackstone, whose shares rose 116.8% in the past year. Emerson Electric, drugmaker AbbVie, computer chip manufacturer Texas Instruments and energy firm Enterprise Products Partners also posted market-beating returns. Laggards were led by Air Products & Chemicals and defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 44, 2021

 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks.

 

Recently, 15 popular companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period.

 

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

* Canadian Dollars

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 1 2021 (Part 2)

 

Upgrades:

 

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by investment analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a “buy” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on PSX. Piper Sandler upgraded Phillips 66 from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $85.00 to $87.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 6th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Phillips 66 from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 6th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Phillips 66 from $94.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. Barclays lowered their price target on Phillips 66 from $95.00 to $88.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Phillips 66 from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Phillips 66 currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $85.63. Read more …

 

Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI) (TSE:TRI) was upgraded by investment analysts at BNP Paribas from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Price Targets.com reports.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on TRI. TD Securities upgraded Thomson Reuters from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $160.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 6th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Thomson Reuters from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $123.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, October 7th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Thomson Reuters from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $118.00 to $122.00 in a report on Monday. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from $105.00 to $106.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 23rd. Finally, National Bank Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from C$145.00 to C$162.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 2nd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $125.90. Read more …

 

QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) was upgraded by research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Canaccord Genuity reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $225.00 price objective (up from $200.00) on shares of QUALCOMM in a research note on Thursday, August 12th. Cowen boosted their target price on QUALCOMM from $180.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 29th. Susquehanna reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $157.00 target price on shares of QUALCOMM in a research report on Thursday, July 29th. Zacks Investment Research lowered QUALCOMM from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $135.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Monday, October 4th. Finally, Mizuho decreased their target price on QUALCOMM from $180.00 to $165.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $166.77. Read more…

 

 

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) was upgraded by stock analysts at Barclays from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note issued on Friday, The Fly reports.

GSK has been the topic of several other research reports. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating on shares of GlaxoSmithKline in a report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of GlaxoSmithKline in a report on Monday. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of GlaxoSmithKline in a report on Monday, October 18th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of GlaxoSmithKline from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $41.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, July 20th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of GlaxoSmithKline in a report on Monday, September 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $41.00.

GlaxoSmithKline stock opened at $43.00 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of -0.95, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $39.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $39.66. GlaxoSmithKline has a 12 month low of $33.53 and a 12 month high of $43.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $115.78 billion, a PE ratio of 18.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.72. Read more …

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

 

Upgrades:

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

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

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

Five Stocks With Safe and Growing Dividends

For a stock screen emphasizing safe and growing dividends, Barron’s pulled together a handful of criteria, such as consistent dividend growth and attractive yields.

 

With the help of Simply Safe Dividends, which publishes a newsletter and website dedicated to equity income investing, we started with a dividend yield of 3% to 4.5%. When yields get above the upper end of that range, it can signal problems for a stock, possibly a dividend cut in the offing.

 

Another requirement was that a stock had a price-earnings ratio in line with or below its five-year average, based on Simply Safe Dividends’ data. We also favored stocks with dividend safety scores above 60. Under Simply Safe’s rating system, 99 is the top possible score. A stock deemed safe by the company can score from 61 to 80; for very safe, it’s 81 to 99.

 

Barron’s additionally searched for companies that have grown their dividends for at least five years, again based on data from Simply Safe Dividends. The screen eschewed small-cap stocks, relying instead on mid and large caps. We narrowed down our final list of companies to five, based on market capitalization—the larger the better.

 

 

These stocks, based on criteria such as reasonable P/E ratios and yields from 3 to 4.5%, should provide steady and growing income ahead.

 

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13 Safe Dividend Stocks to Buy

 

Dividend growth, not yield, typically drives outperformance. Thus, you're getting more than just security from these safe dividend stocks.

 

Most income investors choose dividend stocks by looking at a company's current dividend yield and history of payments. They base their choices on historical trends and hope the gravy train of dividends will keep chugging along – even when the economy turns south. But let's face it: Past is not always prologue.

 

That's why, if you're in the search for safe dividend stocks, you need to look beyond yield.

 

Reality Shares developed a system called DIVCON (short for dividend condition) that uses several factors to pick safe dividend stocks, after discovering that dividend growth – not yield – drives outperformance.

 

DIVCON's factors to assess a company's dividend health include expected dividend growth, free cash flow-to-dividends, earnings per share (EPS) growth, recent dividend actions and Altman Z-score (which gauges the likelihood a company is going bankrupt). Companies are given a DIVCON score between 1 and 100, then assigned a DIVCON rating between 1 (most likely to cut) and 5 (most likely to increase). The implication? The highest scorers should be among the safest dividend stocks.

 

They also could be among the best performers.

 

According to the exchange-traded fund provider, S&P 500 companies that grew or initiated dividends between 1972 and 2017 returned 9.98% on average annually compared to 7.35% for those that didn't raise their payouts. And for non-payers, the return was a much slimmer 2.54%. The top group also saw less volatility.

 

 

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Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 25 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) was upgraded by equities researchers at Piper Sandler to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on Best Buy from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Best Buy from $136.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. DA Davidson upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the company from $145.00 to $157.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $127.53. Read more …

 

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) was upgraded by stock analysts at Atlantic Securities from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $144.00 target price on the healthcare product maker's stock. Atlantic Securities' price target points to a potential upside of 12.39% from the company's current price.

Several other analysts have also commented on ABT. Redburn Partners initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, October 14th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $132.28 price objective for the company. Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Friday, October 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised Abbott Laboratories from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $127.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 3rd. Raymond James lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $128.00 to $134.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, October 21st. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, October 1st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $134.94. Read more …

 

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) was upgraded by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, PriceTargets.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $230.00 price target on the aerospace company’s stock, up from their prior price target of $220.00. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target points to a potential upside of 12.82% from the company’s current price.

GD has been the subject of a number of other reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of General Dynamics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $208.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, August 5th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their target price on shares of General Dynamics from $182.00 to $198.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of General Dynamics from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $176.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, September 23rd. Finally, Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of General Dynamics in a report on Monday, August 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, General Dynamics has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $213.91. Read more …

 

 

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Thursday, Analyst Price Targets reports. The brokerage presently has a $325.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $263.00. Bank of America‘s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 11.45% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on NSC. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $325.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. Evercore ISI raised Norfolk Southern from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $301.00 to $303.00 in a research note on Friday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $318.00 to $312.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 7th. Finally, Atlantic Securities began coverage on Norfolk Southern in a research note on Monday, July 12th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $276.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $287.57. Read more …