Group 1 - Berenberg raised AbbVie's target price from $170 to $270, upgrading the rating from "Hold" to "Buy" [1]

Upgrades Summary - Loop Capital upgraded Netflix (NFLX) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $1,350, increased from $1,150, citing "exceptional" engagement on the platform in Q3 and a "strong" Q4 content slate [2] - Guggenheim upgraded Workday (WDAY) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $285, indicating that Workday will be well positioned to accelerate growth when the environment improves [2] - Piper Sandler also upgraded Workday to Neutral from Underweight with a price target of $235, up from $220 [2] - Bernstein upgraded Zillow Group (ZG) to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $105, increased from $75, highlighting mid-teens revenue growth with Rentals and Showcase as growth drivers [2] - Roth Capital upgraded Kroger (KR) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $75, up from $66, noting strong alternative profit streams while the stock's valuation lags peers [2] - Berenberg upgraded AbbVie (ABBV) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $270, increased from $170, stating the company has "successfully navigated the largest drug patent expiry in the world" [2]

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AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) is one of the best drug stocks to buy right now. In a report released on September 11, Vamil Divan from Guggenheim reiterated a Buy rating on AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV), setting a price target of $227.00. AbbVie (ABBV)'s Dividend Track Record: How It Became a Leader in Consistent Dividends In its fiscal Q2 2025 results, AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) reported a diluted EPS of $0.52 on a GAAP basis, reflecting a decrease of 32.5%. Adjusted diluted EPS for the quarter reached $2.97, up 12.1%. ...

Core Insights - AbbVie (ABBV) has seen a stock increase of 22.5% in 2025, outperforming the industry, sector, and S&P 500 index, which has seen a decrease of 0.1% [1][3][8] Company Performance - The strong stock performance is attributed to rising investor optimism as AbbVie successfully navigated the loss of exclusivity for its blockbuster drug, Humira, which previously accounted for over 50% of total revenues [4][5] - AbbVie launched two successful immunology drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, which are performing well and expected to support top-line growth in the coming years [5][8] - Combined sales of Skyrizi and Rinvoq reached $11.6 billion in the first half of 2025, with projections of over $25 billion in 2025 and more than $31 billion by 2027 [7][8] Drug Performance - Skyrizi is annualizing at almost $18 billion, while Rinvoq is at over $8 billion, with both drugs showing strong performance in the inflammatory bowel disease market [8][9] - AbbVie expects to file for new indications for Rinvoq, which could add approximately $2 billion to peak-year sales [10][11] Oncology and Neuroscience Contributions - AbbVie's oncology segment generated $3.3 billion in the first half of 2025, driven by higher sales of Venclexta and contributions from new drugs [12] - Sales in the neuroscience portfolio increased by 20.3% to nearly $5 billion, supported by products like Botox Therapeutic and newer migraine treatments [13] Acquisition Strategy - AbbVie has executed over 30 M&A transactions since early 2024, focusing on immunology, oncology, and neuroscience to strengthen its pipeline [14] - Recent acquisitions include a licensing agreement for a treatment for obesity and a deal for a novel therapy for major depressive disorder [14][15] Challenges - Humira's sales are declining significantly due to biosimilar competition, with a more than 50% drop in the first half of 2025 [16] - Sales of Juvederm fillers have also decreased by 22.2% due to macroeconomic challenges and weakened consumer sentiment [17] Valuation and Estimates - AbbVie shares trade at a price/earnings ratio of 15.93, higher than the industry average of 14.78, indicating a relatively high valuation [18][19] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has slightly decreased from $12.08 to $12.02, while the estimate for 2026 has increased from $14.07 to $14.33 [22] Future Outlook - AbbVie is expected to return to mid-single-digit revenue growth in 2025, driven by the performance of Skyrizi and Rinvoq, with no significant loss of exclusivity events anticipated for the rest of the decade [25][26] - The company is well-positioned for continued growth, supported by a solid pipeline and recent patent settlements [26][27]

Core Insights - AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) is recognized as one of the 13 Best Consistent Dividend Stocks to buy currently [1] - The company has shown strong performance in 2025, significantly outperforming the broader market, with a nearly 22% increase in stock price since the beginning of the year [2] - AbbVie has successfully transitioned away from its reliance on Humira, which lost US exclusivity in 2023, thanks to the strong sales growth of its autoimmune treatments Rinvoq and Skyrizi [3] - AbbVie boasts a remarkable dividend growth streak of 53 years, currently offering a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share and a dividend yield of 3% as of September 12 [4]

Group 1: NextEra Energy (NEE) - NextEra Energy is a large U.S. utility and clean energy company, operating a regulated utility business (Florida Power & Light) and a fast-growing renewable energy & storage business (NextEra Energy Resources) [3] - Wall Street rates NEE stock as a "Moderate Buy," with 12 out of 21 analysts rating it a "Strong Buy," and an average target price of $82.17, indicating a 15.6% upside potential [1] - The company has a strong dividend yield of 3.1% and a low payout ratio of 56.9%, allowing for a commitment to growing dividends at approximately 10% annually through at least 2026 [2] Group 2: Verizon Communications (VZ) - Verizon is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the U.S., providing wireless services, broadband, fiber, and other network services [6] - Wall Street rates VZ stock as a "Moderate Buy," with 9 out of 29 analysts rating it a "Strong Buy," and an average target price of $48.43, suggesting a 10.9% upside potential [4] - The company offers a high dividend yield of 6.3% and maintains a healthy payout ratio of 56.7%, with expected free cash flow between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion in 2025 to support dividend payments [5] Group 3: AbbVie (ABBV) - AbbVie is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., focusing on immunology, oncology, and other therapeutic areas, with a history of revenue from drugs like Humira [8] - Wall Street rates ABBV stock as a "Moderate Buy," with 16 out of 29 analysts rating it a "Strong Buy," and an average target price of $216.58, indicating a 2.3% upside potential [10] - The company offers a dividend yield of 2.9% and has a payout ratio of 46%, with a 53-year history of raising its dividend, making it a Dividend King [9] Group 4: Pfizer (PFE) - Pfizer develops and sells vaccines and therapeutics across various disease areas, focusing on expanding its non-Covid product range [11] - Wall Street rates PFE stock as a "Moderate Buy," with 6 out of 23 analysts rating it a "Strong Buy," and an average target price of $27.90, suggesting a 13.5% upside potential [13] - The company offers a dividend yield of 6.9% and has been increasing its dividend for 16 consecutive years, with a forward payout ratio of 54.6% [12] Group 5: AT&T (T) - AT&T is a major player in U.S. telecommunications, focusing on core telecom operations after restructuring by selling off non-core assets [14] - Wall Street rates T stock as a "Moderate Buy," with 17 out of 29 analysts rating it a "Strong Buy," and an average target price of $30.47, indicating a 4.4% upside potential [16] - The company offers a dividend yield of 3.8% and has a low payout ratio of 49.9%, with projected free cash flow of around $16 billion in 2025, supporting its dividend payments [15]

Core Insights - Investors are increasingly attracted to high-dividend stocks due to anticipated interest rate cuts later this year [1] - Dividend growth among US companies has slowed, limiting opportunities for income seekers [2][3] Dividend Stock Analysis - The five largest dividend-focused exchange-traded funds experienced inflows of $17.5 billion by mid-July, nearly ten times higher than at the beginning of 2024 [2] - Companies are adopting a "wait-and-see" approach regarding dividend increases due to uncertainty in US trade policies and the broader economy [3] Methodology for Stock Selection - The list of dividend stocks was compiled from reputable sources such as Forbes, Morningstar, Barron's, and Business Insider, focusing on companies with robust cash flow and healthy balance sheets [5] - Hedge fund sentiment was assessed using Insider Monkey's Q2 2025 database, with stocks arranged by the number of hedge funds holding stakes [5][6] Company Highlights - **Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)**: - Gained approximately 5% in 2025, with a solid growth strategy and commitment to shareholder returns [8] - Plans to invest around $140 billion in capital projects, targeting a compound annual growth rate of 10% for earnings and 8% for cash flow by 2030 [9][10] - Declared a quarterly dividend of $0.99 per share, maintaining a 42-year streak of dividend increases, with a current yield of 3.52% [11] - **The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)**: - Known for household staples, it has raised dividends for 69 consecutive years, currently offering a quarterly dividend of $1.0568 per share and a yield of 2.67% [14] - Revenue growth is driven by brand expansion and price adjustments, although competition from lower-priced alternatives exists [13] - **AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV)**: - Achieved nearly 22% stock price growth in 2025, driven by strong sales from autoimmune treatments [15][16] - Offers a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share, with a 53-year dividend growth streak and a yield of 3% [17]

Core Insights - AbbVie is a strong candidate for long-term investment due to its robust dividend yield of 3.1%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.2% [1] - The company has demonstrated consistent dividend growth, with an average annual increase of 7% over the past five years [2] Dividend Performance - AbbVie's total annual payout recently reached $6.56 per share, up from $5.20 in 2021 and $3.59 in 2018, indicating substantial growth [2] - The payout ratio is less than 50%, suggesting ample room for future dividend increases [4] Pipeline and R&D Investment - AbbVie has around 90 treatments in its pipeline, having invested nearly $11 billion in research and development in 2024 [5] - The majority of these treatments are in the mid to late stages of development, positioning the company for future growth despite past patent losses [5] Stock Performance and Valuation - AbbVie's stock has averaged annual gains of 15.8% over the past decade, indicating a promising future [6] - The current forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 15, above the five-year average of approximately 12, suggesting that shares may not be a bargain at this time [6]

Core Insights - AbbVie shares rose over 4% to a record high following the settlement of patent litigation with generic manufacturers for Rinvoq, extending exclusivity until April 2037 [1][8] - Rinvoq sales increased by 48% year over year to nearly $3.75 billion in the first half of 2025, representing 13% of AbbVie's total revenues [2][8] - AbbVie anticipates that new indications for Rinvoq could add approximately $2 billion to its peak-year sales [3][8] Company Performance - The strong sales of Rinvoq and AbbVie's other drug Skyrizi have helped mitigate the impact of Humira's erosion, positioning them as key growth drivers [4] - AbbVie expects combined sales of Rinvoq and Skyrizi to exceed $25 billion in 2025, with over $8 billion expected from Rinvoq alone [4] Competitive Landscape - The immunology market is highly competitive, with Johnson & Johnson focusing on Tremfya after Stelara lost U.S. patent exclusivity [5] - Eli Lilly is expanding its immunology presence with the FDA approval of Omvoh for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease [6] Valuation and Estimates - AbbVie shares are trading at a premium, with a price/earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.14 compared to the industry average of 14.75 [10] - EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have seen slight increases in the past 30 days [12]