A number of big-name dividend stocks were subject to analyst moves before the opening bell today. We highlight the most important changes, along with analyst commentary below.
1. Mead Johnson Nutrition Upgraded by BMO Capital
BMO Capital upgraded Mead Johnson Nutrition (MJN) from Market Perform to Outperform. Shares of Mead Johnson Nutrition closed at $71.36 yesterday. The company pays an annual dividend of $1.65 (paid quarterly) and has a yield of 2.30%.
2. Ford Upgraded by Buckingham Research
Buckingham Research upgraded Ford (F ) from Neutral to Buy. Shares of Ford closed at $15.01 yesterday. The company pays an annual dividend of 60 cents (paid quarterly) and has a yield of 3.96%.
3. Sanofi Upgraded by Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley upgraded Sanofi (SNY ) from Equalweight to Overweight. Shares of Sanofi-Aventis closed at $48.49 yesterday. The company pays an annual dividend of $1.62 (paid quarterly) and has a yield of 3.26%.
4. Wal-Mart Downgraded by Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse downgraded Wal-Mart (WMT ) from Outperform to Neutral, with a price target of $62 (from $85). Shares of Wal-Mart closed at $60.03 yesterday. The company pays an annual dividend of $1.92 (paid quarterly) and has a yield of 3.21%.
5. EMC Downgraded by Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank downgraded EMC (EMC) from Buy to Hold, with a price target of $30. Shares of EMC closed at $27.11 yesterday. The company pays an annual dividend of 46 cents (paid quarterly) and has a yield of 1.69%.
