During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting Analyst Stock Ratings page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including by analyst accuracy.Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yield ...

Oct 7, 2025 7:05 PM Eastern Daylight TimeBUTTE, Mont. & SIOUX FALLS, S.D.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) today announced that it will host an investor webinar on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern to review its financial results for the quarter ending September 30, 2025. The Company also plans to issue a news release detailing its financial results the evening of Wednesday, October 29, 2025.To register for the webinar, please visit htt ...

Key Takeaways Consumer confidence fell to 94.2 in September, its ninth straight monthly decline in job outlook.ATO, CWCO, NWE, and NWN are highlighted as safe-haven utility stocks with low beta values.Each company shows earnings growth and dividend strength, supported by recent consensus estimate upgrades.Americans aren’t confident about the economy’s health and its future as several factors continue to raise fears in their minds. A shrinking jobs market and the impact of tariffs continue to raise concern d ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the features of Ian's Insider Corner, which provides access to investment reports, trade alerts, and direct communication with the analyst [1]. Group 1 - Ian Bezek has a decade of experience as a hedge fund analyst and has conducted extensive research in Latin American markets, focusing on countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Chile [2]. - The investment group emphasizes high-quality compounders and growth stocks available at reasonable prices in both the US and developed markets [2].

Core Viewpoint - NorthWestern (NWE) is currently positioned as a more attractive investment option compared to Pinnacle West (PNW) for value investors, based on earnings estimate revisions and valuation metrics [3][7]. Valuation Metrics - NWE has a forward P/E ratio of 15.85, while PNW has a forward P/E of 19.02, indicating that NWE is relatively undervalued [5]. - The PEG ratio for NWE is 2.31, compared to PNW's PEG ratio of 8.97, suggesting that NWE offers better value when considering expected earnings growth [5]. - NWE's P/B ratio stands at 1.22, whereas PNW's P/B ratio is 1.51, further supporting NWE's valuation advantage [6]. Analyst Outlook - NWE holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), reflecting a positive earnings estimate revision activity, while PNW has a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), indicating a less favorable outlook [3][7]. - The Value grade for NWE is B, while PNW has a Value grade of C, reinforcing the conclusion that NWE is the superior choice for value investors [6].

Core Viewpoint - The Ademi Firm is investigating NorthWestern for potential breaches of fiduciary duty and legal violations related to its going-private transaction [1] Group 1 - NorthWestern shareholders will receive 0.98 shares of Black Hills for each share of NorthWestern owned [1]

Core Viewpoint - NorthWestern (NWE) is currently positioned as a more attractive investment compared to Pinnacle West (PNW) based on various valuation metrics and earnings outlook [3][7]. Valuation Metrics - NWE has a forward P/E ratio of 15.70, while PNW has a forward P/E of 19.31, indicating that NWE may be undervalued relative to PNW [5]. - The PEG ratio for NWE is 2.29, compared to PNW's PEG ratio of 9.11, suggesting that NWE's expected earnings growth is more favorable [5]. - NWE's P/B ratio stands at 1.21, while PNW's P/B ratio is 1.53, further supporting NWE's valuation advantage [6]. Analyst Outlook - NWE holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings estimate revision trend, while PNW has a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), reflecting a less favorable analyst outlook [3][6]. - The overall Value grade for NWE is B, whereas PNW has a Value grade of C, reinforcing NWE's position as the superior value option [6].

Core Viewpoint - NorthWestern (NWE) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system reflects changes in earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - An increase in earnings estimates typically leads to higher fair value calculations by institutional investors, resulting in stock price movements [4]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade for NorthWestern suggests an improvement in the company's underlying business, which is expected to be recognized by investors through a potential increase in stock price [5][10]. - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, NorthWestern is projected to earn $3.61 per share, with a 0.2% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks based on earnings estimate revisions, with only the top 20% of stocks receiving a "Strong Buy" or "Buy" rating, indicating superior earnings estimate revision features [9][10]. - Historically, Zacks Rank 1 stocks have generated an average annual return of +25% since 1988, showcasing the effectiveness of the rating system [7].

Group 1 - Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating Dayforce, Inc. for potential violations related to its sale to Thoma Bravo at $70.00 per share in cash [1] - NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. is being investigated regarding its sale to Black Hills Corp. for 0.98 shares of Black Hills for each share of NorthWestern, resulting in NorthWestern shareholders owning approximately 44% of the combined company [2] - The firm may seek increased consideration for shareholders and additional disclosures concerning the proposed transactions [3] Group 2 - Shareholders are encouraged to contact Halper Sadeh LLC to discuss their legal rights and options at no charge [4] - Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors globally who have experienced securities fraud and corporate misconduct, recovering millions for defrauded investors [4]

Group 1 - Bank of America Securities upgraded the rating of Black Hills Corporation (BKH.US) from "underperform" to "neutral," raising the target price from $57 to $64, indicating an expected improvement in strategic positioning and fundamentals post-merger [1] - The merger with NorthWestern Energy Group (NWE.US) is valued at $15.4 billion, with NorthWestern shareholders receiving 0.98 shares of Black Hills stock for each share they hold, resulting in a 56% ownership for Black Hills shareholders and 44% for NorthWestern shareholders [1] - The board of the merged company will consist of 11 members, with 6 appointed by Black Hills and 5 by NorthWestern, and the transaction does not require new stock issuance for funding [1] Group 2 - The target price increase to $64 reflects updated price-to-earnings ratios for the electricity and natural gas segments, now at 16.1 times (up from 15.1) and 15.7 times (up from 15.1) respectively [2] - Earnings per share forecasts for fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027 remain unchanged at $4.09, $4.31, and $4.56, pending further details on capital expenditure plans, synergies, delivery, and post-merger capital allocation [2] - Management anticipates a 5-7% increase in earnings per share post-transaction completion, up from a previous expectation of 4-6%, with the deal expected to close within 12 to 15 months, pending regulatory approvals [2]