We see daily analyst upgrades and downgrades, coming with price targets. They can be helpful tools for investors, providing a more structured plan and helping to inject positivity surrounding future performance.Of course, stocks don’t straightforwardly reach price targets, as unforeseen circumstances can always influence performance. Overall, the positive shift in sentiment can be seen as a primary takeaway from these upgrades.  Recently, three stocks – AbbVie (ABBV) , Hershey (HSY) , and Dollar Tree (DLTR) ...

The most recent trading session ended with AbbVie (ABBV) standing at $163.91, reflecting a -0.3% shift from the previouse trading day's closing. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.76%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.59%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 1.12%.Shares of the drugmaker witnessed a gain of 6.09% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Medical sector with its gain of 1.57% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.5%.Investors wil ...

There's one constant you can always rely on. Regardless of what's happening to the overall economy, people keep racking up higher healthcare bills as they get older. And nowadays there are more folks racking up those bills.From 1920 through 2020, America's over-65 population grew nearly five times faster than the total population.Aging baby boomers pushed older population growth into high gear during the decade between 2010 and 2020. In the latest U.S. Census, the number of over-65 adults rose 38% to 56 mil ...

Jun/iStock via Getty Images Aldeyra Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALDX) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing on developing treatments for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Its leading drug candidate is Reproxalap for dry eye and allergic conjunctivitis. It is a RASP modulator that reduces the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, a critical step for treating various ocular conditions. ALDX will resubmit in the first semester of 2024 the FDA approval request for this drug applied to d ...

Core Insights - The healthcare sector had a mediocre performance in 2023, finishing just over the positive mark, primarily due to its lack of participation in the tech sector's growth [1] - Despite the overall performance, healthcare remains a suitable option for diversified portfolios due to its defensive characteristics and steady demand [1] - AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) are highlighted as attractive investment opportunities within the healthcare space, both providing steady and growing dividends [1][2] Healthcare Sector Performance - The healthcare sector's performance was in line with broader market trends, with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund ETF (XLV) showing ABBV and MRK as top holdings [2][3] - The sector's performance was overshadowed by the tech sector, particularly the "Magnificent 7" companies [1] AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) - ABBV faced challenges due to the Humira patent cliff, which negatively impacted earnings expectations for 2023 and 2024, but analysts anticipate a return to growth in 2025 [4][16] - The company has diversified its product offerings with new drugs like Skyrizi and Rinvoq, which have shown significant sales growth [5][6] - ABBV raised its adjusted EPS guidance for FY 2023 to a range of $11.19 to $11.23 and also increased the EPS guidance floor for FY 2024 to $10.70 to $11 [7] - The company has a history of consistent dividend increases, marking 10 consecutive years of growth, with expectations for an 11th year in 2024 [8][16] Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) - MRK's primary revenue driver is Keytruda, which accounts for approximately 36.27% of total sales, with other drugs like Gardasil and Lagevrio also contributing to growth [9][12] - In Q3 2023, MRK reported total sales of $15.962 billion, a 7% increase from the previous year, with Keytruda sales growing by 17% [10] - The company is preparing for the patent expiration of Keytruda in 2028, similar to ABBV's situation with Humira, and is actively working on its drug pipeline [12][16] - MRK's dividend growth has been more modest compared to ABBV, but the company has maintained respectable earnings growth and free cash flow [13][14] Investment Considerations - Both ABBV and MRK offer attractive dividend yields of 3.8% and 2.6%, respectively, contributing to passive income for investors [16] - While ABBV's current earnings are under pressure, potential growth is expected post-Humira transition, while MRK is focused on sustaining growth until Keytruda's patent expiration [16]

The market expects AbbVie (ABBV) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2023. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on F ...

-- Expert-led symposium will explore key emerging themes in aesthetics, supported by injection session live from Allergan Aesthetics Center of Excellence in Italy -- -- New clinical data will be presented to support evolving Allergan Aesthetics portfolio -- -- 2024 marks 10 years of Allergan Medical Institute (AMI) and a decade of commitment to science and advanced education -- IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Aesthetics, the industry leader in aesthetics globally, continues to bring b ...

One of the best reasons to invest in dividend stocks is how well they hold up when the stock market falls. Whether it’s a correction, a bear market, a recession, a depression or a full-on market crash, dividend-paying stocks outperform non-payers by a wide margin.The asset managers at Hartford Funds looked at the performance of the S&P 500 going all the way back to 1930. They found there was never a time where dividend stocks on the benchmark index had a losing decade. Further, if you invested $10,000 in th ...

Manuel Augusto Moreno/Moment via Getty Images Introduction One of my hobbies is browsing the internet for fancy stuff I won't buy anyway. When I bought my first car, I spent weeks looking up my favorite BMW, which was followed by countless visits to dealerships that all failed to give me the price and quality I wanted - I mainly visited used car dealerships back then. The end of the story was that I was so done with visiting dealers that I went to the closest Toyota dealership, where I bought an affordable ...

Dividend Aristocrats are stocks that have been increasing dividends for the last 25 years. Inherently, these companies have deep stability and for that reason continue to be attractive.A lot has happened over that period: The.com bubble, the 2007 crash, and the pandemic are among the more prominent disruptions. Yet, these Dividend Aristocrats have continued to survive and thrive. ALl while increasing their dividends. That greater truth should attract investors who understand that such businesses make strong ...