December 10, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 6 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB) was upgraded by Veritas Investment Research from a “reduce” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports.

CWB has been the subject of a number of other research reports. CIBC boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a research note on Monday, November 22nd. National Bank Financial boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$40.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. Scotiabank boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. BMO Capital Markets raised Canadian Western Bank from a “market perform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a C$41.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank to C$45.00 and gave the company a “sector peform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 1st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian Western Bank presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of C$41.92. Read more …

 


The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on GS. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $430.00 to $450.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, October 25th. JMP Securities boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $440.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 5th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $483.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, October 18th. Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $450.00 to $470.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, October 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a "sector perform" rating and set a $435.00 price target (up previously from $370.00) on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Monday, October 18th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $419.29.

Shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock opened at $382.73 on Monday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $398.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $389.47. The firm has a market cap of $128.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.52. The Goldman Sachs Group has a fifty-two week low of $235.45 and a fifty-two week high of $426.16. Read more …



Home Depot (NYSE:HD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Oppenheimer from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on HD. Truist Securities increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $325.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $410.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Home Depot in a report on Wednesday, August 18th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $360.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $365.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, November 8th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $406.17.

Shares of NYSE:HD opened at $407.81 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $368.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $338.88. Home Depot has a one year low of $246.59 and a one year high of $416.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 35.47, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a current ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $425.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.26, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 0.98. Read more …

 

 


Southern (NYSE:SO) was upgraded by research analysts at Mizuho from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on SO. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Southern from $64.00 to $63.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 17th. Guggenheim upgraded Southern from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $72.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 7th. Finally, KeyCorp raised their price target on Southern from $68.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $68.42. Read more …

 


Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) was upgraded by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on WFC. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 11th. Odeon Capital Group upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 29th. Raymond James upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. TheStreet upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 14th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $48.71. Read more …

 


PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) was upgraded by equities researchers at Evercore ISI from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $190.00 price objective on the specialty chemicals company's stock. Evercore ISI's price target would suggest a potential upside of 15.55% from the company's previous close.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on PPG. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of PPG Industries from $161.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $180.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, October 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on PPG Industries from $188.00 to $185.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on PPG Industries from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered PPG Industries from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $165.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $177.97. Read more …

 

 


Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) was upgraded by research analysts at MKM Partners from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $130.00 price target on the coffee company's stock, up from their previous price target of $114.00. MKM Partners' target price would suggest a potential upside of 14.68% from the company's current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on SBUX. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $140.00 to $130.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Atlantic Securities cut shares of Starbucks from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $105.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, September 30th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $135.00 to $122.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus downgraded shares of Starbucks from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $130.00 to $112.00 in a report on Friday, October 29th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $123.57. Read more …

 


Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on PSX. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Phillips 66 from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 6th. Piper Sandler raised Phillips 66 from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $85.00 to $87.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Phillips 66 from $97.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, November 15th. Mizuho reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $100.00 target price on shares of Phillips 66 in a research note on Friday, November 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised Phillips 66 from a “buy” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $88.20. Read more …

 


Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) was upgraded by investment analysts at Barclays from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Shares of NYSE:WTRG opened at $50.16 on Wednesday. Essential Utilities has a 52-week low of $41.11 and a 52-week high of $51.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.77, a P/E/G ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.57. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $47.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $47.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.68.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Sunday, October 31st. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.02). Essential Utilities had a net margin of 23.00% and a return on equity of 8.87%. The company had revenue of $361.86 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $367.00 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.23 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Essential Utilities will post 1.66 EPS for the current fiscal year. Read more …

 

 


Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) (TSE:BEP) was upgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on BEP. TheStreet lowered shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "c-" rating to a "d+" rating in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. CSFB set a $45.00 price objective on Brookfield Renewable Partners and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 22nd. Raymond James set a $44.00 target price on Brookfield Renewable Partners and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, November 8th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a report on Wednesday, September 22nd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Brookfield Renewable Partners has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $43.50.

Shares of BEP stock opened at $34.38 on Thursday. Brookfield Renewable Partners has a fifty-two week low of $33.56 and a fifty-two week high of $49.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -42.98 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.74. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $37.56 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.48. Read more …

 


Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) was upgraded by analysts at Erste Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Cisco Systems in a research note on Thursday, September 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $64.00 price objective on Cisco Systems in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Cisco Systems from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $70.00 price objective on Cisco Systems in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Cisco Systems from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Twelve 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 currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.24. Read more …

 


Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) was upgraded by equities researchers at Erste Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on PFE. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday. They set an "overweight" rating for the company. SVB Leerink dropped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 3rd. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, November 18th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $60.00 price objective for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Friday, November 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Pfizer from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, November 29th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Pfizer currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.53.

PFE opened at $51.40 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.18. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $46.78 and a 200 day moving average price of $44.17. Pfizer has a 1 year low of $33.36 and a 1 year high of $55.70. The stock has a market cap of $288.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.68. Read more …

 

 


Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) was upgraded by analysts at Atlantic Securities from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Analyst Price Targets reports. The firm presently has a $151.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock. Atlantic Securities’ price target points to a potential upside of 12.78% from the stock’s current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer downgraded Yum! Brands from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. Loop Capital assumed coverage on Yum! Brands in a research report on Tuesday, October 5th. They set a “hold” rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Yum! Brands from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $132.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Robert W. Baird restated a “buy” rating on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Wednesday, September 15th. Finally, Citigroup downgraded Yum! Brands from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $132.42. Read more …

 

 

Downgrades:

 


Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on BK. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, October 25th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $49.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 20th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, October 22nd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $56.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $57.47.

Shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock opened at $54.88 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $57.22 and a 200-day moving average of $53.59. The stock has a market cap of $45.32 billion, a PE ratio of 13.96, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.16. Bank of New York Mellon has a 52-week low of $39.46 and a 52-week high of $60.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 0.68. Read more …

 


Novartis (NYSE:NVS) was downgraded by stock analysts at Exane BNP Paribas from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. They currently have a CHF 85 price objective on the stock.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on NVS. Berenberg Bank reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Tuesday, October 12th. UBS Group cut Novartis from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, November 5th. BNP Paribas cut Novartis from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an "underweight" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Wednesday, October 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Novartis from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Monday, September 20th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $92.75.

NVS stock opened at $80.00 on Monday. Novartis has a 1-year low of $79.34 and a 1-year high of $98.52. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $82.47 and a 200-day moving average price of $87.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $178.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 0.55. Read more …

 

 


AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) was downgraded by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Bryan, Garnier & Co lowered AstraZeneca to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, November 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Monday, October 11th. SVB Leerink upped their price objective on AstraZeneca from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, September 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on AstraZeneca in a research report on Thursday, August 12th. They set an "overweight" rating on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $124.00.

AZN opened at $55.41 on Tuesday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $59.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $58.63. AstraZeneca has a 12-month low of $46.48 and a 12-month high of $64.21. The firm has a market cap of $171.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 86.58, a PEG ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Read more …

 


Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) was downgraded by equities researchers at Guggenheim from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

MRK has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 24th. Truist increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 24th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 1st. SVB Leerink reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Tuesday, November 30th. Finally, Berenberg Bank reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $92.00 price objective (up previously from $86.00) on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Sunday, October 10th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.17. Read more …

 


Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) was downgraded by equities researchers at Cowen from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $109.00 target price on the apparel retailer's stock. Cowen's price target points to a potential downside of 3.27% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on ROST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $146.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, November 19th. Loop Capital cut shares of Ross Stores from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and dropped their price target for the company from $140.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $132.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, August 16th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $142.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, August 20th. Finally, William Blair reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Wednesday, August 25th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $136.18.

ROST stock opened at $112.68 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.25. Ross Stores has a 12 month low of $104.79 and a 12 month high of $134.21. The firm's 50-day moving average is $112.28 and its 200 day moving average is $117.69. The company has a market capitalization of $40.04 billion, a PE ratio of 25.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.02. Read more …

 

 


American States Water (NYSE:AWR) was downgraded by research analysts at Barclays from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Zacks Investment Research cut American States Water from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $93.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, September 14th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on American States Water from $98.00 to $97.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 1st.

NYSE AWR opened at $98.69 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.64 billion, a PE ratio of 38.85 and a beta of 0.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.95. The business's fifty day moving average is $91.72 and its 200 day moving average is $87.80. American States Water has a fifty-two week low of $70.07 and a fifty-two week high of $98.98.

American States Water (NYSE:AWR) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 1st. The utilities provider reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $136.76 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $140.00 million. American States Water had a return on equity of 14.31% and a net margin of 18.60%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that American States Water will post 2.48 EPS for the current year. Read more …

 


Becton, Dickinson and (NYSE:BDX) was downgraded by Piper Sandler from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $260.00 price target on the medical instruments supplier's stock, down from their previous price target of $285.00. Piper Sandler's target price indicates a potential upside of 3.85% from the company's current price.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on BDX. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Becton, Dickinson and from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $250.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 19th. SVB Leerink reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Becton, Dickinson and in a research note on Friday, October 22nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $268.78.

Shares of Becton, Dickinson and stock opened at $250.36 on Wednesday. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $243.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $246.94. Becton, Dickinson and has a 52-week low of $234.61 and a 52-week high of $267.37. The firm has a market cap of $71.11 billion, a PE ratio of 36.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 1.33. Read more …

 


Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) was downgraded by investment analysts at Bank of America from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Honeywell International from $229.00 to $224.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Honeywell International in a report on Thursday, October 7th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $229.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Honeywell International from $246.00 to $229.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 7th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on Honeywell International from $253.00 to $250.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 25th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $235.73.

Honeywell International stock opened at $207.15 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 1.04. Honeywell International has a one year low of $194.55 and a one year high of $236.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.61 billion, a PE ratio of 26.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.15. The business's fifty day moving average is $216.84 and its 200 day moving average is $222.50. Read more …

 

 


Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wolfe Research from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $331.00 price objective on the basic materials company's stock, down from their prior price objective of $332.00. Wolfe Research's target price suggests a potential upside of 11.95% from the company's current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on APD. Mizuho initiated coverage on Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Friday, November 5th. They set a "buy" rating and a $312.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $315.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, November 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $312.00 to $338.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $319.67.

NYSE APD opened at $295.67 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $65.48 billion, a PE ratio of 31.32, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.79. Air Products and Chemicals has a 12 month low of $245.75 and a 12 month high of $316.39. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $290.91 and a 200-day moving average of $285.89. The company has a current ratio of 2.99, a quick ratio of 2.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. Read more …

 


Cincinnati Financial (NASDAQ:CINF) was downgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada to a "sector perform" rating in a research report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Cincinnati Financial in a research report on Monday, August 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $148.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Cincinnati Financial from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $122.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cincinnati Financial has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $126.83.

Shares of Cincinnati Financial stock opened at $117.21 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $18.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.54 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. Cincinnati Financial has a 12 month low of $78.56 and a 12 month high of $127.25. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $119.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $119.28. Read more …

 


Canadian Natural Resources (TSE:CNQ) (NYSE:CNQ) was downgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, TipRanks reports. They presently have a C$66.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price target points to a potential upside of 25.19% from the company’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on CNQ. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$52.00 to C$60.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$61.00 to C$75.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$44.00 to C$51.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Evercore boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$52.00 to C$57.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 21st. Finally, National Bankshares cut their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$70.00 to C$69.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Canadian Natural Resources currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of C$64.10. Read more …

 

December 7, 2021

Hedge Funds' 25 Top Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy Now

 

What is the "smart money" up to lately? We explore the 25 most popular blue-chip stocks among the hedge fund crowd.

 


Hedge funds as a group don't have the greatest long-term track record – and they haven't been too hot in 2021, either – but there's still something irresistible about knowing what the so-called smart money is up to.

 

Surprise, surprise: Hedge funds continue to herd into big, blue-chip stocks, regulatory filings show.

 

So, how poorly have hedge funds fared so far this year? The Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index delivered a total return (price appreciation plus dividends) of 8.5% for the year through Nov. 30. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 was up 23.2% on a total-return basis over the same span.

 

But to be fair: Hedge funds can pursue dozens of investing strategies. A broad measure of their performance doesn't necessarily make for an apples-to-apples comparison with, say, the S&P 500.

 

And that's why it's always interesting – and, yes, sometimes even edifying – to see which names rank as hedge funds' favorite stocks. Although the so-called smart money might be lagging as a group, there's still some collective wisdom to be found in this crowd.

 

Most investors won't be surprised by many of hedge funds' favorite picks. Dow stocks are heavily over-represented when it comes to names with the highest number of hedge fund shareholders; fully 13 of the Dow's 30 blue-chip stocks rank among hedge funds' 25 top picks.

 

That's partly a function of Dow components' massive market capitalizations and attendant liquidity, which creates ample room for institutional investors to build or sell large positions. Big-name blue-chip stocks also carry a lower level of reputational risk for professional money managers. (It's a lot easier to justify holding a large position in a Dow stock than a no-name small-cap if restive clients start grumbling about their returns.)

 

But hey, more than half these names are not in the famed blue-chip average, and a few of these picks might seem completely out of left field. So either way, each hedge-fund favorite is an intriguing idea worth a closer look.

 

 

Have a look at hedge funds' 25 top blue-chip stocks to buy now. All these names likely appeal to elite funds because of their size, strong track records or outsized growth prospects. But we'll delve into a few specifics that make each blue chip special.

 

Continue reading …

 

December 4, 2021

Dividend Increases Week 48, 2021



 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks. (Member of The Dividend Champions or Canadian All-Star list)

 

Recently, 27 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.

 

December 3, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 29 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Citigroup from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

TJX has been the subject of several other research reports. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 18th. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, November 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 19th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 16th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group upped their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $82.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 19th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, TJX Companies has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $83.15.

Shares of TJX Companies stock opened at $69.36 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $67.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $68.32. The company has a market cap of $83.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.96. TJX Companies has a fifty-two week low of $61.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.33. Read more …

 


Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) was upgraded by stock analysts at Odeon Capital Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 15th. TheStreet raised shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 14th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Company from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $49.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $49.00 price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Friday, September 10th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $48.71. Read more …

 


Chevron (NYSE:CVX) was upgraded by analysts at Tudor Pickering from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Stock Target Advisor reports.

CVX has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Chevron from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 24th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Chevron from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, November 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Chevron from $149.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Chevron from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $128.00 to $111.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 15th. Finally, DZ Bank cut Chevron from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $110.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, August 4th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $121.23. Read more …

 

 


DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $123.00 price target on the utilities provider's stock. Wells Fargo & Company's price objective suggests a potential upside of 13.53% from the stock's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on DTE. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $126.00 to $124.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 22nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $123.00 to $120.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 22nd. Finally, Evercore ISI raised shares of DTE Energy from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $127.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, September 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $128.20.

Shares of NYSE:DTE opened at $108.34 on Wednesday. The firm's 50 day moving average is $113.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.97, a PEG ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. DTE Energy has a 52 week low of $96.40 and a 52 week high of $122.14. Read more …

December 1, 2021

Genuine Parts: A Play on Rising Vehicle Prices

 

A look at one way to profit off of higher new and used car prices

 


Car prices have soared by double-digit rates due to production issues and a lack of used cars available.

Genuine Parts sells the parts needed for car owners to keep their vehicles running.

Shares are on the pricey side, but the company has a strong leadership position in its industry and one of the longest dividend growth streaks.

 

Anyone in the market for a new or used car is likely facing some sticker shock as the prices have increased drastically.

 

New car prices had increased 12.1% from the prior year in September, according to Kelley Blue Book, to an average of more than $45,000. The used car market isn’t much better as prices for this category are up nearly 40% since March 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.

 

Production issues, some of which is due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have put a lid on the number of new cars in production. The pre-owned market has likely been impacted by people being loath to turn in their current vehicle when a new one might not be available.

 

It is quite possible that the age of a vehicle in the U.S. will rise from its current average of 12 years.

 

The increases in new and used vehicles combined with an already high average age of ownership could be a tailwind to those companies that supply the parts to keep cars running longer.

 

 

This is where a company like Genuine Parts Co. (GPC, Financial) can see a material benefit to its business.

 

Let’s look at Genuine Parts to determine why it could be a good play on rising automotive aftermarket sales.

 

Continue reading …

 

November 29, 2021

National Retail Properties, Inc.: 4.5% Yielder Has Raised Dividends for 32 Consecutive Years

 

Consider NNN Stock for Income & Growth

 


If you’re looking for a stock that provides consistent dividend growth and share-price gains—and a company that’s taking advantage of the post-pandemic economic recovery—National Retail Properties, Inc. (NYSE:NNN) might be the perfect opportunity.

 

Admittedly, having the word “retail” in its name might scare off a lot of investors. After all, traditional brick-and-mortar stores are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Fortunately, National Retail Properties, Inc. didn’t get that memo.

 

National Retail Properties is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, invests in, and develops high-quality properties that it leases to retailers under long-term (15–20 years) triple net leases. (Source: “Investor Update: November 2021,” National Retail Properties, Inc., last accessed November 25, 2021.)

 

With a triple net lease, the tenant is responsible for all expenses, including property taxes, building insurance, maintenance, and utilities. In essence, National Retail Properties banks the base rent and has no obligation to spend money on the property.

 

Why would anyone sign up for a triple net lease? The landlord has a lower initial cost with a triple net property, which means it can offer lower rents. Don’t shed a tear for National Retail Properties, Inc., though. It builds rent increases into its contracts.

 

 

The company’s diverse portfolio comprises 3,195 properties leased to more than 370 tenants in more than 30 industries. National Retail Properties’ aggregate gross leasable area is approximately 33.1 million square feet (equal to about 573 football fields) in 48 states. The REIT’s properties are most concentrated in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.

 

Continue reading …

 

November 28, 2021

Dividend Increases Week 47, 2021



 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks. (Member of The Dividend Champions or Canadian All-Star list)

 

Recently, 5 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 22 2021


 

Upgrades:

 


Kimco Realty (NYSE:KIM) was upgraded by equities researchers at Evercore ISI to an "outperform" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

KIM has been the topic of several other research reports. Capital One Financial raised Kimco Realty from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $26.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 2nd. BTIG Research restated a "hold" rating on shares of Kimco Realty in a research note on Sunday, September 26th. Truist upped their price objective on Kimco Realty from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. Truist Securities upped their target price on Kimco Realty from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, August 30th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Kimco Realty from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $23.32.

KIM stock opened at $24.05 on Monday. Kimco Realty has a twelve month low of $14.03 and a twelve month high of $24.95. The stock has a market cap of $14.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.59, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.50. The business's 50-day moving average price is $22.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $21.71. Read more …

 


Royal Gold (NASDAQ:RGLD) (TSE:RGL) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

RGLD has been the topic of a number of other research reports. TD Securities lowered their price objective on Royal Gold from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 13th. Zacks Investment Research raised Royal Gold from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $106.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 26th. Raymond James set a $136.00 price objective on Royal Gold and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, November 4th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Royal Gold from $138.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Friday, August 13th. Finally, National Bank Financial lowered their price objective on Royal Gold from C$160.00 to C$155.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 10th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Royal Gold has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $136.03.

NASDAQ RGLD opened at $105.43 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 3.65, a current ratio of 3.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Royal Gold has a 52-week low of $92.01 and a 52-week high of $129.69. The business's 50-day moving average price is $101.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $111.48. The firm has a market cap of $6.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.64. Read more …

 


AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) was upgraded by investment analysts at Societe Generale from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, PriceTargets.com reports.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on ABBV. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of AbbVie from $128.00 to $131.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, August 2nd. Argus increased their price target on AbbVie from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 5th. Truist Securities started coverage on AbbVie in a report on Tuesday, July 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $117.00 price objective for the company. Cowen upped their price objective on shares of AbbVie from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, August 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of AbbVie from $116.00 to $124.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, November 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $127.17.

ABBV stock traded up $3.23 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $118.88. The company's stock had a trading volume of 8,594,465 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,838,689. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.45, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 1.01. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $111.39 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $113.87. AbbVie has a 1 year low of $101.55 and a 1 year high of $121.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $210.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.30, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.83. Read more …

 

 


Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on BBY. Wedbush raised Best Buy to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 25th. DA Davidson raised Best Buy to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 25th. Zacks Investment Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Best Buy in a research report on Friday, September 10th. 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 research report on Wednesday, August 25th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Best Buy in a research report on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $128.31. Read more …

 


Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) (TSE:BNS) was upgraded by equities researchers at Canaccord Genuity from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. National Bank Financial increased their target price on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from $84.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. TD Securities reduced their target price on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from C$90.00 to C$87.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Veritas Investment Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia in a report on Friday, November 12th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from C$86.00 to C$89.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank of Nova Scotia presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $86.43. Read more …

 


Chevron (NYSE:CVX) was upgraded by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on CVX. TheStreet upgraded shares of Chevron from a "c" rating to a "b-" rating in a research report on Friday, July 30th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Chevron from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $100.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, September 21st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Chevron from $109.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, November 1st. DZ Bank downgraded shares of Chevron from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $110.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, August 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Chevron from $149.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, November 19th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $120.65.

Chevron stock opened at $116.30 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $108.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $104.82. Chevron has a 52 week low of $83.53 and a 52 week high of $118.08. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $224.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.45, a P/E/G ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.30. Read more …

 

 

 

Downgrades:

 


AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) was downgraded by stock analysts at Bryan, Garnier & Co to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on AZN. SVB Leerink lifted their price target on AstraZeneca from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, September 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on AstraZeneca in a research note on Thursday, August 12th. They issued an “overweight” rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Monday, October 11th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Friday, September 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $124.00. Read more …

 


Pembina Pipeline (NYSE:PBA) (TSE:PPL) was downgraded by equities researchers at CIBC from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on the company. TD Securities upped their price objective on Pembina Pipeline from C$43.00 to C$45.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Pembina Pipeline from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, August 9th. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Pembina Pipeline from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Friday, November 5th. Credit Suisse Group initiated coverage on Pembina Pipeline in a report on Wednesday, August 18th. They set a "neutral" rating for the company. Finally, BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Pembina Pipeline in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $40.40.

Shares of NYSE:PBA traded down $1.03 during trading on Monday, hitting $31.87. 81,796 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,108,605. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $32.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $32.19. The company has a market cap of $17.54 billion, a PE ratio of -132.79, a P/E/G ratio of 5.35 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a current ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. Pembina Pipeline has a 12-month low of $23.48 and a 12-month high of $34.73. Read more …

 


Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY) (TSE:RY) was downgraded by investment analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other analysts have also recently weighed in on RY. Desjardins lifted their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$138.00 to C$141.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 27th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 13th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$144.00 to C$148.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 17th. Fundamental Research lifted their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from $127.27 to $143.76 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 1st. Finally, Credit Suisse Group boosted their target price on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$135.00 to C$140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $134.48. Read more …

 

 


Ventas (NYSE:VTR) was downgraded by equities researchers at Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Monday, Price Targets.com reports. They currently have a $55.00 price objective on the real estate investment trust's stock. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group's price target indicates a potential upside of 7.11% from the stock's current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Capital One Financial restated an "equal weight" rating on shares of Ventas in a report on Friday, November 5th. Raymond James upgraded Ventas from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and increased their target price for the company from $65.00 to $67.00 in a research note on Thursday, September 23rd. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Ventas from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and set a $60.00 target price for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Ventas from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their target price for the company from $61.00 to $66.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley started coverage on Ventas in a research note on Monday, October 4th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $60.00 target price for the company. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $59.24.

Ventas stock opened at $51.35 on Monday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $55.15 and its 200-day moving average is $56.34. The company has a market cap of $20.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 96.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 0.59 and a quick ratio of 0.71. Ventas has a 12 month low of $45.40 and a 12 month high of $61.09. Read more …

 


National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA) was downgraded by research analysts at Scotiabank to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, TipRanks reports. They presently have a C$113.00 target price on the financial services provider’s stock. Scotiabank’s price target points to a potential upside of 7.38% from the company’s previous close.

NA has been the topic of several other reports. Canaccord Genuity boosted their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$101.00 to C$103.50 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Barclays cut National Bank of Canada to a “sell” rating and set a C$100.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, November 15th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$101.00 to C$104.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Credit Suisse Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of National Bank of Canada in a report on Thursday, September 2nd. Finally, Cormark lifted their price target on shares of National Bank of Canada from C$109.00 to C$112.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$100.23. Read more …

 

November 24, 2021

12 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks and Funds to Buy for 2022

 

Your bills come monthly. Why not your dividend checks? These are some of 2022's best monthly dividend stocks and funds for easier income planning.

 

 


For all the changes we've experienced in recent years, some things remain regrettably the same. We all have bills to pay, and those bills generally come monthly. Whether it's your mortgage, your car payment or even your regular phone and utility bills, you're generally expected to pay every month.

 

While we're in our working years, that's not necessarily a problem, as paychecks generally come every two weeks. And even for those in retirement, Social Security and (if you're lucky enough to have one) pension payments also come on a regular monthly schedule. But unfortunately, it doesn't work that way in our investment portfolios.

 

That's where monthly dividend stocks come into play.

 

Dividend-paying stocks generally pay quarterly, and most bonds pay semiannually, or twice per year. This has a way of making portfolio income lumpy, as dividend and interest payments often come in clusters.

 

Well, monthly dividend stocks can help smooth out that income stream and better align your inflows with your outflows.

 

"We'd never recommend buying a stock purely because it has a monthly dividend," says Rachel Klinger, president of McCann Wealth Strategies, an investment adviser based in State College, Pennsylvania. "But monthly dividend stocks can be a nice addition to a portfolio and can add a little regularity to an investor's income stream."

 

 

Today, we're going to look at 12 of the best monthly dividend stocks and funds to buy as we get ready to start 2022. You'll see some similarities across the selections as monthly dividend stocks tend to be concentrated in a small handful of sectors such as real estate investment trusts (REITs), closed-end funds (CEFs) and business development companies (BDCs). These sectors tend to be more income-focused than growth-focused and sport yields that are vastly higher than the market average.

 

Continue reading …

November 22, 2021

7 Stocks to Watch Now as Consumer Prices Spike

 

Inflation is affecting each of these consumer picks differently. Proceed with care.

 


 

With inflation at its highest rate since 1990, it’s not just consumers that are feeling the pinch. Many stocks to watch in the consumer products and retail spaces are feeling it as well. Sure, rising prices are driving demand for some companies in the consumer staples sector, such as discount stores. But between the cost of inventory, labor, raw materials and shipping going up, increased sales may not correspond with increased profits.

 

At least across the board. Some companies have more proactively passed along rising prices to consumers. Coupled with cost-savings initiatives, some have also done a better job managing the unprecedented run-up in prices. What’s more, a strong earnings season has helped bolster the argument that fears of widespread inflationary pressures may be overblown.

 

However, if elevated rates continue into 2022, as consumer companies such as Unilever (NYSE:UL) have started to warn their investors? Results in the current quarter — and in the first few quarters of next year — may be affected. Many investors may consider names in this area of the market to be “safe harbors” compared to more speculative and volatile names. But you may also want to pay close attention to how they’re handling these not-so-“transitory” headwinds.

 

 

For these seven stocks to watch, keep an eye on how they’re tackling inflation. Some of them stand to thrive in spite of it, while others could struggle because of it:

 

Continue reading …

 

November 20, 2021

Dividend Increases Week 46, 2021



In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks. (Member of The Dividend Champions or Canadian All-Star list)

 

Recently, 21 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.