Group 1: Analyst Ratings and Market Sentiment - Wall Street analysts have "Buy" ratings on 388 stocks in the S&P 500, representing over 76% of the index, indicating a general optimism among analysts [1] - The prevalence of "Buy" ratings means that any upgrades are limited, as most stocks are already rated highly, while "Holds" and "Sells" present potential for improvement [2] - The article suggests that contrarian investors should consider stocks with lower ratings, as they may present better buying opportunities [2] Group 2: National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) - NSA is a self-storage REIT with 1,075 properties across 41 states and Puerto Rico, known for being recession-resistant [3][4] - Despite a historical competence in operations, NSA faces a bearish consensus with only one "Buy" rating against 10 "Holds" and four "Sells" [6] - NSA's dividend yield is over 6%, but its payout is tight at 97% of its 2025 FFO estimates, and the stock trades at approximately 15 times those estimates [6][7] Group 3: CNA Financial (CNA) - CNA is a major commercial property and casualty insurer in the U.S., with 90% ownership by conglomerate Loews [8] - The company pays a regular dividend of 46 cents per share, yielding 3.9%, along with a special dividend that has been consistent for the past decade [9][11] - CNA has a bearish consensus rating, but only one analyst covers it, indicating a lack of interest from analysts [12][13] Group 4: Cricut (CRCT) - Cricut is known for its crafting machines and software, and it has recently initiated a special dividend of 40 cents per share and a regular semiannual dividend of 10 cents [14][15] - Despite the dividend announcements, Cricut's revenues have declined by 7% in 2024, and profits are expected to decrease in the coming years [17][18] - The stock currently has three "Sell" calls and one "Hold," reflecting negative sentiment among analysts [18] Group 5: Goldman Sachs BDC (GSBD) - GSBD is a business development company targeting firms with annual EBITDA between $5 million and $75 million, primarily dealing in debt [19][20] - The company has faced challenges, including a nearly 30% cut to its regular dividend due to high non-accruals and declining net investment income [22][23] - Despite these issues, GSBD offers a high yield of 16.5% based on promised dividends for 2025, trading at a 17% discount to NAV [24]