Category Monthly Dividend

Steelcase (SCS) shares soared Thursday, a day after the furniture supplier’s results exceeded forecasts and it gave strong guidance as orders increased.

The maker of ergonomic office chairs and storage systems reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.26 on revenue that rose about 2% year-over-year to $788.0 million. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for $0.22 and $785.5 million, respectively.

Orders grew 9%, boosted by a 12% jump in the Americas market. Sales in the Americas were up nearly 5% to $608.1 million, although they fell 7% to $179.9 million internationally. 

CEO Says Well-Positioned as Organizations Require Employees Return to Office

CEO Sara Armbruster called the growth in orders in the Americas “broad-based, driven by most of our customer segments, with especially strong growth from our large corporate and government customers.” Armbruster added that the company will benefit from more organizations requiring employees to return to the office as they drop their work-from-home options.

Steelcase sees current-quarter adjusted EPS in the range of $0.13 to $0.17, while the Visible Alpha outlook was for $0.14. 

Despite today’s 5% advance, shares of Steelcase remain about 15% lower over the past year.

Petco (WOOF) shares jumped Thursday morning as the pet retailer outlined a better-than-expected adjusted earnings forecast for fiscal 2025.

For the full year, Petco expects sales to decline by low single digits, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) are expected to rise to a range of $375 million to $390 million, compared to $336.5 million in 2024. Analysts expected the metric to come in at $371.56 million, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.

Petco’s Business ‘Needed Overhauling,’ CEO Says

The retailer is planning to boost profits by cutting costs and operating more efficiently. CEO Joel Anderson said in Wednesday’s earnings call that when he took over last summer, Petco’s “foundational practices were not those of a successful consumer business and needed overhauling,” according to a transcript from AlphaSense.

The average Petco customer “remains discerning,” Anderson said, noting that the chain is reviewing its product portfolio, and plans to dedicate more shelf space to faster-selling brands. The retailer is also looking to improve its margins by “executing more targeted promotions,” Anderson said.

The retailer reported $1.55 billion in sales for the fourth quarter that ended Feb. 1, narrowly below estimates, while comparable store sales grew by 0.5%, below the 0.83% analyst consensus. Petco recorded a net loss of $0.05 per share, 2 cents larger than what analysts had expected.

Petco’s results follow online pet retail rival Chewy (CHWY), which topped estimates in its own fourth-quarter results earlier Wednesday.

Petco shares were up around 5% Thursday morning. They entered the day down just over 35% since the start of 2025.

The full article continues below these offers from our partners.

Try These Smart Strategies to Combat Today’s Elevated Mortgage Rates

Almost continuously since September 2022, the national average rate for a 30-year new purchase mortgage has wavered in a range between 6% and 8%. It did slip into upper-5% territory on a handful of days in the last two-and-a-half years, while it reached as high as 8.01% in October 2023.

That’s a dramatic departure from 2021, when 30-year rates averaged below 3% for most of the second half of the year.

Unfortunately, a return to significantly lower rates appears very unlikely in the current economic environment. In fact, Wells Fargo recently forecasted that mortgage rates will remain above 6% through 2026.

While that’s not stellar news if you want to buy a new home, you aren’t powerless. In fact, four key moves can help you get the best rate available—all of which are smart since reducing your rate by a half or even a quarter point can translate into lower monthly payments and, over time, significantly reduced total interest costs.

Smart Strategy #1: Improve Your Credit Score

Mortgage rates are not “one size fits all.” What a given lender offers you is a function of how much you’re borrowing, your income, your assets, and, to a large extent, what kind of credit risk you represent. Buyers with a higher credit score will be offered more favorable mortgage rates, while those with a low credit score will be asked to pay a higher rate.

“Your credit score is one way of measuring how likely you are to pay your bills,” said Samir Patel, senior vice president of loans at Discover. “The higher your credit score, the better your chances of approval at a favorable interest rate for many types of loans—from personal loans to primary mortgages, home equity loans, and mortgage refinances.”

Sometimes it’s possible to boost your credit score by a modest margin very quickly, while larger improvements may take more time. Since any mortgage rate you lock in is a long-term rate, it can be worth delaying your home buying until you’ve made some strategic credit score-enhancing moves.

Whatever your timeline, the top ways to boost your score before presenting a mortgage application to lenders are building up a longer track record of on-time payments, paying off or reducing one or more debts to lower your credit utilization percentage, and not applying for any new loans or credit cards while you are house hunting.

“I always encourage consumers to check their credit report before applying for a home loan,” Patel said. “By double checking for any errors and fixing them, consumers can help put themselves in a position for the best interest rate on a home loan.”

Smart Strategy #2: Pay Down Debt

Reducing what you owe on any loans or credit cards can help increase your credit score, as discussed above. But in terms of applying for a mortgage, it can do double duty. The reason is that mortgage lenders base their offers on something called a debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The DTI calculates your total debts as a proportion of your monthly income, where a higher proportion of debt classifies you as a riskier applicant, while someone with a lower DTI will be deemed a safer bet among lenders.

If you’re like most house hunters, you can’t substantially change your income in a short time frame before applying for a mortgage. But by lowering your debt, your DTI ratio will go down—making your mortgage application less risky for lenders and typically translating into a better mortgage rate for you.

Smart Strategy #3: Save for a Bigger Down Payment

Though it may be appealing to get into a new house as soon as possible, or utilize a “low down payment” program, there are good reasons to pause your purchase until you can save more money to put down.

First and foremost, a bigger down payment means you’ll be asking for a lower loan amount—which in turn will lower the monthly payment on your new loan. A smaller loan can also help improve your DTI ratio, discussed above, which may help you score a better rate from your lender.

If you already have a sizable pot of savings for a home and are within reach of a 20% down payment, you may want to save a little longer so that you can avoid the extra monthly cost of private mortgage insurance (PMI). If you currently only have, say, a 5% down payment saved, then avoiding PMI is not likely possible unless you defer your house hunt for an extended period. But if you find you have 15% or more saved, it could be worth waiting until you can reach the PMI-avoiding 20% mark.

A third way that saving more can help you snag a better mortgage rate is that it makes it possible for you to consider buying mortgage discount points. Points work by requiring an upfront payment in exchange for lowering your long-term mortgage rate. If you have ample funds saved before applying for a mortgage, you may have enough cash on hand to entertain various discount point options.

Smart Strategy #4: Shop Around on Rates

The above strategies are smart to do first, so we’re listing this one last, but it’s very important: The recommendation to shop around on rates cannot be overstated. When you’re ready to submit a mortgage application, it’s critical you do some homework to make sure you get a good rate.

While checking local banks and credit unions is always smart, it shouldn’t be your only foray. Also consider online lenders or big institutions that don’t have a physical footprint in your own community. You can also consider a mortgage broker, which can help you with the paperwork and link you to one of a variety of lenders in their network.

Choosing your timing to lock in a rate is also important, and we make it easy to follow mortgage rate trends—nationally and by state—with our daily mortgage rate coverage linked below.

How We Track the Best Mortgage Rates

The national and state averages cited above are provided as is via the Zillow Mortgage API, assuming a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 80% (i.e., a down payment of at least 20%) and an applicant credit score in the 680–739 range. The resulting rates represent what borrowers should expect when receiving quotes from lenders based on their qualifications, which may vary from advertised teaser rates. © Zillow, Inc., 2025. Use is subject to the Zillow Terms of Use.

Nvidia (NVDA) shares will remain in focus after falling sharply Wednesday amid concerns that stricter enforcement of new energy rules in China could weigh on the AI chipmaker’s sales.

According to a Financial Times report, authorities are advising Chinese groups to use chips that meet stricter requirements in new data centers and when expanding existing facilities, potentially threating the sales of Nvidia’s less powerful H20 chip, which the company tailors to comply with U.S. export restrictions.

Through Wednesday’s close, Nvidia shares have lost about a quarter of their value since hitting their record high in January, pressured by concerns over AI spending, moderating sales growth and uncertainty over the Trump administration’s trade policies. The stock fell nearly 6% on Wednesday to finish the session at $113.76.

Below, we take a closer look at Nvidia’s chart and use technical analysis to identify key price levels worth watching out for.

Pennant Pattern Breakdown

Since setting their record high in early January, Nvidia shares have trended lower within a descending channel.

The price broke down below a pennant pattern in Wednesday’s trading session on the highest volume in more than a week, indicating a continuation of the stock’s current move lower.

It’s also worth pointing out that the 50-day moving average (MA) recently crossed below the 200-day MA to form an ominous death cross, a chart pattern that forecasts the start of a new downtrend. Moreover, the relative strength index (RSI) has moved back below the 50 threshold to signal weakening price momentum.

Let’s identify crucial support and resistance levels on Nvidia’s chart that investors may be eyeing.

Crucial Support Levels to Eye

Firstly, it’s worth keeping track of the $105 level if the shares continue to move lower. Buyers could look for entry points in this area near the March low, which also closely aligns with a range of similar prices on the chart stretching back to May last year.

Further selling could see the shares revisit lower support around $96. This region on the chart may garner support near last year’s twin March peaks, which roughly sit at the same level as the early-August sell-off low. Interestingly, this area also lies in the same vicinity as a projected bars pattern target that takes the stock’s recent impulsive move lower and repositions it from today’s pennant pattern breakdown.

Key Resistance Levels Worth Monitoring

Amid a recovery effort in the stock, investors should monitor how the price responds to the $130 level. The shares may run into overhead resistance in this area near a trendline situated just above the two moving averages that links multiple peaks and troughs on the chart extending back to the August swing high.

Finally, a decisive close above this level could drive a rally to around $150. Investors who have bought Nvidia shares at lower levels may seek profit-taking opportunities near several peaks that formed on the chart just below the stock’s record high.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

Updated on March 26th, 2025 by Bob Ciura
Spreadsheet data updated daily

The Dividend Aristocrats are a select group of 69 S&P 500 stocks with 25+ years of consecutive dividend increases.

The requirements to be a Dividend Aristocrat are:

• Be in the S&P 500
• Have 25+ consecutive years of dividend increases
• Meet certain minimum size & liquidity requirements

There are currently 69 Dividend Aristocrats.

You can download an Excel spreadsheet of all 69 Dividend Aristocrats (with metrics that matter such as dividend yields and price-to-earnings ratios) by clicking the link below:

 

Disclaimer: Sure Dividend is not affiliated with S&P Global in any way. S&P Global owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The information in this article and downloadable spreadsheet is based on Sure Dividend’s own review, summary, and analysis of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and other sources, and is meant to help individual investors better understand this ETF and the index upon which it is based. None of the information in this article or spreadsheet is official data from S&P Global. Consult S&P Global for official information.

However, even Dividend Aristocrats can fall from grace. For example, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) was removed from the Dividend Aristocrats list in 2024.

The company slashed its dividend due to a pronounced business downturn in the brick-and-mortar pharmacy retail industry, amid elevated competitive threats from online pharmacies.

This was after Walgreens Boots Alliance had maintained a 40+ year streak of consecutive dividend increases.

While dividend cuts from Dividend Aristocrats are unexpected, they have happened–and could happen again. To be clear, the following 3 Dividend Aristocrats are not currently in jeopardy of cutting their dividends.

Their dividend payouts are supported with sufficient underlying earnings (for now). If their earnings remain stable or continue to grow, they have at least a decent change of continuing their dividend growth.

But, the 3 Dividend Aristocrats below are facing fundamental challenges to varying degrees, which potentially threatens their dividend payouts.

This article will provide a detailed analysis on the three Dividend Aristocrats most in danger of a future dividend cut.

Table of Contents

Red Flag Dividend Aristocrat For 2025: Albemarle Corporation (ALB)

• Dividend Risk Score: B
• Dividend Yield: 2.1%

Albemarle is the largest producer of lithium and second largest producer of bromine in the world. The two products account for nearly two-thirds of annual sales. Albemarle produces lithium from its salt brine deposits in the U.S. and Chile.

The company has two joint ventures in Australia that also produce lithium. Albemarle’s Chile assets offer a very low-cost source of lithium. The company operates in nearly 100 countries.

Albemarle, like any commodity producer, is beholden to the underlying commodity price for growth and profitability. Unfortunately, the steep drop in lithium prices has caused a massive decline in Albemarle’s financial performance in recent quarters.

On February 12th, 2025, Albemarle announced fourth quarter and full year results. For the quarter, revenue fell 48% to $1.23 billion and was $110 million less than expected.

Source: Investor Presentation

Adjusted earnings-per-share of -$1.09 compared very unfavorably to $1.85 in the prior year and was $0.42 below estimates.

For the year, revenue declined 44% to $5.4 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share was -$2.34.

Results were impacted by asset write-offs and weaker average prices for lithium. For the quarter, revenue for Energy Storage was down 63.2% to $616.8 million.

This segment was impact by weaker volumes (-10%) and lower prices (-53%). Revenues for Specialties were lower by 2.0% to $332.9 million as volume (+3%) was offset by a decrease in pricing (-5%).

Results are not expected to meaningfully improve in 2025. Albemarle expects 2025 full-year revenue in a range of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion. The company is expected to produce earnings-per-share of -$0.80 in 2025.

Continued declines in sales, along with net losses, could threaten Albemarle’s dividend payout. This is especially true if lithium prices continue to drop.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ALB (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Red Flag Dividend Aristocrat For 2025: Amcor plc (AMCR)

• Dividend Risk Score: F
• Dividend Yield: 5.0%

Amcor plc is one of the world’s most prominent designers and manufacturers of packaging for food, pharmaceutical, medical, and other consumer products. The company emphasizes making responsible packaging that is lightweight, recyclable, and reusable.

Today, the Amcor plc, which trades on the NYSE, was formed in June 2019 with the merger between two packaging companies, U.S-based Bemis Co. Inc. and Australia-based Amcor Ltd. Amcor plc’s current headquarters is in Bristol, U.K.

The current dividend yield is attractive compared to the broader market, but the payout ratio is high at nearly 70% expected for 2025.

As a packaging manufacturer, Amcor is particularly exposed to the global economy. It would be difficult for the company to maintain its dividend in a steep recession as a result. AMCR stock receives our lowest Dividend Risk Score of ‘F’.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on AMCR (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Red Flag Dividend Aristocrat For 2025: Franklin Resources (BEN)

• Dividend Risk Score: C
• Dividend Yield: 6.1%

Franklin Resources is an investment management company. It was founded in 1947. Today, Franklin Resources manages the Franklin and Templeton families of mutual funds.

On January 31st, 2025, Franklin Resources reported net income of $163.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the first fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2024.

This marked a significant improvement from the previous quarter’s net loss of $84.7 million, though EPS remained lower than the $251.3 million net income recorded in the same quarter last year.

Source: Investor presentation

The past few years have been difficult for Franklin Resources. Franklin Resources was slow to adapt to the changing environment in the asset management industry.

The explosive growth in exchange-traded funds and indexing investing surprised traditional mutual funds.

ETFs have become very popular with investors due in large part to their lower fees than traditional mutual funds. In response, the asset management industry has had to cut fees and commissions or risk losing client assets.

Earnings-per-share are expected to decline in 2025 as a result. The company still maintains a manageable payout ratio of 51% expected for 2025, but if EPS continues to decline, the dividend payout could be in danger down the road.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BEN (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Final Thoughts

The Dividend Aristocrats are among the best dividend growth stocks in the market.

And while most Dividend Aristocrats will continue to raise their dividends each year, there could be some that end up cutting their payouts.

While it is rare, investors have seen multiple Dividend Aristocrats cut their dividends over the past several years, including Walgreens Boots Alliance, 3M Company (MMM), V.F. Corp. (VFC), and AT&T Inc. (T).

While the three Dividend Aristocrats presented here have been successful raising their dividends each year to this point, they all face varying levels of challenges to their underlying businesses.

For this reason, income investors should view the 3 red flag Dividend Aristocrats in this article cautiously going forward.

Additional Reading

Additionally, the following Sure Dividend databases contain the most reliable dividend growers in our investment universe:

If you’re looking for stocks with unique dividend characteristics, consider the following Sure Dividend databases:

Published on March 26th, 2025 by Bob Ciura

The goal of rational investors is to maximize total return under a given set of constraints.

The three components of expected return are:

• Earnings-per-share growth
• Dividend payments
• Expansion/contraction of the valuation multiple

At Sure Dividend, we believe high-quality dividend growth companies represent the best stocks to buy-and-hold for the long run.

This is why we recommend stocks that have established track records of paying dividends, and raising their dividends over time.

Blue-chip stocks are established, financially strong, and consistently profitable publicly traded companies.

Their strength makes them appealing investments for comparatively safe, reliable dividends and capital appreciation versus less established stocks.

This research report has the following resources to help you invest in blue chip stocks:

 

This list contains important metrics, including: dividend yields, payout ratios, dividend growth rates, 52-week highs and lows, betas, and more.

There are currently more than 500 securities in our blue chip stocks list.

Even better, investors can maximize their portfolio return by purchasing quality dividend stocks when they are undervalued.

This article discusses the 10 best dividend stocks in the Sure Analysis Research Database currently trading within 10% of their 52-week lows.

The list excludes REITs, MLPs, and BDCs. The stocks are arranged by annual expected returns, in ascending order.

Table of Contents

The table of contents below allows for easy navigation.

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #10: Nordson Corp. (NDSN)

• Expected Total Return: 14.5%

Nordson was founded in 1954 in Amherst, Ohio by brothers Eric and Evan Nord, but the company can trace its roots back to 1909 with the U.S. Automatic Company.

Today the company has operations in over 35 countries and engineers, manufactures, and markets products used for dispensing adhesives, coatings, sealants, biomaterials, plastics, and other materials, with applications ranging from diapers and straws to cell phones and aerospace.

Source: Investor Presentation

On December 11th, 2024, Nordson reported fourth quarter results for the period ending October 31st, 2024. For the quarter, the company reported sales of $744 million, 4% higher compared to $719 million in Q4 2023, which was driven by a positive acquisition impact, and offset by organic decrease of 3%.

Industrial Precision saw sales decrease by 3%, while the Medical and Fluid Solutions and Advanced Technology Solutions segments had sales increases of 19% and 5%, respectively.

The company generated adjusted earnings per share of $2.78, a 3% increase compared to the same prior year period.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on NDSN (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #9: Sysco Corp. (SYY)

• Expected Total Return: 14.7%

Sysco Corporation is the largest wholesale food distributor in the United States. The company serves 600,000 locations with food delivery, including restaurants, hospitals, schools, hotels, and other facilities.

Source: Investor Presentation

On January 28th, 2025, Sysco reported second-quarter results for Fiscal Year (FY)2025. The company reported a 4.5% increase in sales for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, reaching $20.2 billion.

U.S. Foodservice volume grew by 1.4%, while gross profit rose 3.9% to $3.7 billion. Operating income increased 1.7% to $712 million, with adjusted operating income growing 5.1% to $783 million. Earnings per share (EPS) remained at $0.82, while adjusted EPS grew 4.5% to $0.93.

The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, projecting sales growth of 4%-5% and adjusted EPS growth of 6%-7%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on SYY (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #8: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

• Expected Total Return: 14.9%

Archer-Daniels-Midland is the largest publicly traded farmland product company in the United States. Archer-Daniels-Midland’s businesses include processing cereal grains, oilseeds, and agricultural storage and transportation.

Archer-Daniels-Midland reported its third-quarter results for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 on November 18th, 2024.

The company reported adjusted net earnings of $530 million and adjusted EPS of $1.09, both down from the prior year due to a $461 million non-cash charge related to its Wilmar equity investment.

Consolidated cash flows year-to-date reached $2.34 billion, reflecting strong operations despite market challenges.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ADM (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #7: Agilent Technologies (A)

• Expected Total Return: 14.9%

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) offers instruments, software, and services to life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemicals markets. It is a global company with operations in the Americas (which accounted for 40% of FY 2024 revenue), Asia Pacific (33%), and Europe (27%).

The company is separated into three segments: Life Sciences & Diagnostics Markets Group (LDG), Agilent CrossLab Group (ACG), and Applied Markets Group (AMG). ACG makes up nearly half of its total revenue (42%), with LDG (38%) and AMG (20%) making up the remainder.

Its end markets are primarily Chemicals and Advanced Materials, and Pharma, with Diagnostics and Clinical, Environmental & Forensics, Food, and Academia & Govt making up the remainder. Agilent has a market capitalization of $35 billion.

On February 26th, 2025, Agilent reported first quarter 2025 results for the period ending January 31st, 2024. For the quarter, the company generated net revenue of $1.68 billion, which was 1.4% higher year-over-year.

Adjusted net income equaled $377 million or $1.31 per share, a 2% increase compared to Q1 2024. The company’s LDG and ACG segments saw revenue increases of 4% and 1% year-over-year, respectively, while AMG declined 4%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Agilent (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #6: PPG Industries (PPG)

• Expected Total Return: 15.2%

PPG Industries is the world’s largest paints and coatings company. Its only competitors of similar size are Sherwin-Williams and Dutch paint company Akzo Nobel.

PPG Industries was founded in 1883 as a manufacturer and distributor of glass (its name stands for Pittsburgh Plate Glass) and today has approximately 3,500 technical employees located in more than 70 countries at 100 locations.

On January 31st, 2025, PPG Industries announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, revenue declined 4.6% to $3.73 billion and missed estimates by $241 million.

Adjusted net income of $375 million, or $1.61 per share, compared favorably to adjusted net income of $372 million, or $1.56 per share, in the prior year. Adjusted earnings-per-share was $0.02 below expectations.

For the year, revenue from continuing operations decreased 2% to $15.8 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share totaled $7.87.

PPG Industries repurchased ~$750 million worth of shares during 2024 and has $2.8 billion, or ~10.3% of its current market capitalization, remaining on its share repurchase authorization. The company expects to repurchase ~$400 million worth of shares in Q1 2025.

For 2025, the company expects adjusted earnings-per-share in a range of $7.75 to $8.05.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PPG (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #5: United Parcel Service (UPS)

• Expected Total Return: 15.3%

United Parcel Service is a logistics and package delivery company that offers services including transportation, distribution, ground freight, ocean freight, insurance, and financing.

Its operations are split into three segments: US Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight.

On January 30th, 2025, UPS reported fourth quarter 2024 results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, the company generated revenue of $25.3 billion, a 1.5% year-over-year increase.

Source: Investor Presentation

The U.S. Domestic segment (making up 68% of sales) saw a 2.2% revenue increase, with International also posting a 6.9% revenue increase, while Supply Chain Solutions saw a 9.1% decrease. Adjusted net income equaled $2.75 per share, up 11.3% year-over-year.

The company announced it is reducing its largest customer’s volume by over 50% by H2 2026, insourced 100% of its UPS SurePost product, and is redesigning its end-to-end process to deliver $1 billion in savings.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on UPS (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #4: Pfizer Inc. (PFE)

• Expected Total Return: 15.9%

Pfizer Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company focusing on prescription drugs and vaccines. Pfizer formed the GSK Consumer Healthcare Joint Venture in 2019 with GlaxoSmithKline plc, which includes its over-the-counter business.

Pfizer owns 32% of the JV, but is exiting the company, now known as Haleon. Pfizer spun off its Upjohn segment and merged it with Mylan forming Viatris for its off patent, branded and generic medicines in 2020.

Pfizer’s top products are Eliquis, Ibrance, Prevnar family, Vyndaqel family, Abrysvo, Xeljanz, and Comirnaty.

Source: Investor Presentation

Pfizer’s current product line is expected to produce top line and bottom-line growth because of significant R&D and acquisitions.

Pfizer reported solid Q4 2024 results on February 4th, 2025. Company-wide revenue grew 21% operationally and adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed to $0.63 versus $0.10 on a year-over-year basis because of stabilizing COVID-19 related sales, growing revenue from the existing portfolio, and lower expenses.

Global Biopharmaceuticals sales gained 22% to $17,413M from $14,186M led by gains in Primary Care (+27%), Specialty Care (+12%), and Oncology (+27%). Pfizer Centerone saw 11% lower sales to $325M, while Ignite revenue was $26M.

Of the top selling drugs, sales increased for Eliquis (+14%), Prevnar (-4%), Plaxlovid (flat), Cominraty (-37%), Vyndaqel/ Vyndamax (+61%), Ibrance (-2%), and Xtandi (+24).

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PFE (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #3: PepsiCo Inc. (PEP)

• Expected Total Return: 16.3%

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage company. Its products include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Frito-Lay chips, Gatorade, Tropicana orange juice and Quaker foods.

Its business is split roughly 60-40 in terms of food and beverage revenue. It is also balanced geographically between the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 4th, 2025, PepsiCo announced that it would increase its annualized dividend by 5.0% to $5.69 starting with the payment that was made in June 2025, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 53 consecutive years.

That same day, PepsiCo announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025. For the quarter, revenue decreased 0.3% to $27.8 billion, which was $110 million below estimates.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.96 compared favorably to $1.78 the prior year and was $0.02 better than excepted.

For the year, revenue grew 0.4% to $91.9 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $8.16 compared to $7.62 in 2023. Currency exchange reduced revenue by 2% and earnings-per-share by 4%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PEP (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #2: Estee Lauder Cos. (EL)

• Expected Total Return: 16.9%

Estee Lauder is one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty care companies. It competes primarily in the upscale and prestige portion of the market. Sales break down as follows: Skin care makes up 52% of sales, makeup constitutes 28%, fragrance is another 16%, and hair care is the other 4%.

Leading brands include the namesake Estee Lauder along with Clinique, Aveda, M.A.C., and Origins among others. Estee Lauder is a truly international firm, operating in more than 150 countries.

Generally, revenues are split almost equally in thirds between the Asia-Pacific, Europe Middle East & Africa, and the Americas segments though Asia-Pacific is underperforming at the moment.

Estee Lauder has historically shown strong and consistent growth, with top-line revenues growing from $11.0 billion in 2014 to $17.7 billion in 2022. The firm’s strong branding and distribution network makes Estee Lauder a dominant competitor in most markets.

The company reported its Q2 2025 results on February 4th, 2025. Adjusted earnings-per-share of 62 cents fell from the $0.88 for the same period of last year, but greatly exceeded expectations of just 32 cents. Revenues of $4.0 billion decreased 6% year-over-year but beat expectations.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on EL (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Beaten Down Dividend Stock #1: Eversource Energy (ES)

• Expected Total Return: 19.7%

Eversource Energy is a diversified holding company with subsidiaries that provide regulated electric, gas, and water distribution service in the Northeast U.S.

FactSet, Erie Indemnity, and Eversource Energy are the three new Dividend Aristocrats for 2025.

The company’s utilities serve more than 4 million customers after acquiring NStar’s Massachusetts utilities in 2012, Aquarion in 2017, and Columbia Gas in 2020.

Eversource has delivered steady growth to shareholders for many years.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 11th, 2025, Eversource Energy released its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 results. For the quarter, the company reported net earnings of $72.5 million, a significant improvement from a net loss of $(1,288.5) million in the same quarter of last year, which reflected the impact of the company’s exit from offshore wind investments.

The company reported earnings per share of $0.20, compared with a loss per share of $(3.68) in the prior year. For the full year 2024, Eversource reported GAAP earnings of $811.7 million, or $2.27 per share, compared with a full-year 2023 loss of $(442.2) million, or $(1.26) per share.

On a non-GAAP recurring basis, the company earned $1,634.0 million, or $4.57 per share, representing a 5.3% increase from 2023.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ES (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Other Blue Chip Stock Resources

The resources below will give you a better understanding of dividend growth investing:

Soft-drink and beer makers stand to benefit as Americans consume less booze. 

That’s the take of analysts at Morgan Stanley, who late Tuesday published a report discussing possible outcomes as alcohol seems out of favor at the moment–a trend Investopedia has covered lately. The drivers, in short, include an increasingly health-conscious consumer, but also economic pressures that could be short-term. 

“With alcohol per capita consumption likely to decline, we see the zero-alcohol segment as ripe for strong growth,” Morgan Stanley wrote. “We believe that beer is better positioned than spirits in this regard. We similarly see higher growth for soft drinks, aided by stronger pricing power, and with innovation to better satisfy the ‘good for you’ criteria increasingly demanded by the younger consumer.”

Companies are making decisions informed by the same trends. PepsiCo (PEP) earlier this month agreed to buy prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.65 billion. Reed’s, a company known for ginger ales that trades over the counter, on a recent conference call discussed a new “multifunctional” line of sodas made with ingredients like organic ginger and mushroom extracts and comparably low calorie counts. 

“These beverages cater to the rising demand for health conscious, functional refreshment options and position us at the forefront of the evolving beverage market,” Reed’s CEO Norman Snyder said on the call, a transcript of which was made available by AlphaSense. Snyder added that “the early response from retailers has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforced by their expansion of shelf space dedicated to the functional and better-for-you beverage category.”

Among Morgan Stanley’s recommendations: Buy Coca-Cola (KO), avoid Brown-Forman (BF.B). They’re also positive on several European and Asian companies known for their beer offerings. 

“We believe that, in developed markets spirits growth will slow, as consumers shift towards lower/non-alcoholic options,” the analysts wrote. “For the beer market, we see this as an opportunity.”

U.S. stock futures are little changed after three consecutive winning sessions for indexes; copper futures soar on a report that U.S. import tariffs on the metal could come sooner than expected; Dollar Tree (DLTR) shares are rising in premarket trading as the discount retailer moves to sell off its Family Dollar brand; GameStop (GME) stock is soaring on the company’s plans to add bitcoin to its investment strategy; and Tesla (TSLA) shares are dipping after rising for five straight sessions.  Here’s what investors need to know today.

1. US Stock Futures Little Changed After Indexes Rise for Third Straight Session

U.S. stock futures are little changed after indexes rose for a third straight session Tuesday. Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures are essentially flat after gaining 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively, in the prior session. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures also are little changed after moving fractionally higher yesterday. Bitcoin (BTCUSD) is slightly higher to trade at over $88,000. Yields on the 10-year Treasury note and gold and oil futures are rising. 

2. Copper Futures Surge on Report of US Tariffs Coming Sooner Than Expected

Copper futures have surged to a record high in New York trading on a report that U.S. import tariffs on the metal are seen coming within several weeks, months earlier than the deadline for a decision. Bloomberg reported that a decision on copper tariffs from the Commerce Department could come earlier than the deadline originally laid out by President Donald Trump. Copper on New York’s Comex hit a record $5.374 a pound earlier and recently was trading at around $5.277 per pound.

3. Dollar Tree Stock Jumps on Deal to Sell Family Dollar

Shares of Dollar Tree (DLTR) are rising about 3% in premarket trading after the discount retailer announced a deal to sell its Family Dollar brand to a pair of private-equity firms for $1 billion. The move comes after Dollar Tree last March announced plans to close roughly 1,000 underperforming stores, and in June said it was launching a review of whether it should sell or spin off the Family Dollar brand. Dollar Tree shares had lost roughly 47% of their value over the last 12 months entering Wednesday.

4. GameStop Stock Pops on Plans to Add Bitcoin to Investment Strategy

GameStop (GME) shares are soaring 16% in premarket trading after the video-game retailer updated its corporate investment policy to include bitcoin. GameStop also reported fiscal fourth-quarter results, which saw revenue fall 28% year-over-year to $1.28 billion. Shares of GameStop had been nearly 20% lower this year entering Wednesday.

5. Tesla Stock Dips After Adding 28% Over Past 5 Sessions

Tesla (TSLA) stock is dipping less than 1% in premarket trading after the Magnificent 7 member’s shares extended their winning streak to five sessions yesterday following nearly two months of declines. The latest gains come after an all-hands meeting last week in which CEO Elon Musk urged employees to hold their shares, arguing that Wall Street doesn’t fully understand the company’s value based on its self-driving technology and robotics products. The stock has gained 28% during its winning streak but is still down nearly 40% from its December peak.

Carvana (CVNA) shares surged Tuesday following an upgrade from Morgan Stanley, extending the stock’s winning streak to five consecutive sessions.

Analysts at the investment bank said that recent selling in the shares provides an opportunity for investors to gain exposure to a leader in auto retail and fleet fulfillment, adding that the company has the potential to become the Amazon (AMZN) of auto retail.

Carvana shares, which rose nearly 4% to close near $222 on Tuesday, have gained 33% during their five-day rally. The stock is still down 24% from its record high set last month, but it remains 150% higher than its year-ago level, boosted by the company’s improved profitability and efforts to reduce costs.

Below, we break down the technicals on Carvana’s chart and identify crucial price levels worth watching out for.

Trading Range Signals Potential Consolidation

Since setting their late-November peak, Carvana shares have oscillated within a trading range, potentially consolidating before the stock’s next move higher.

More recently, buyers emerged just below the 200-day moving average, with the price closing back above the closely followed indicator last Friday. In another win for the bulls, recent buying has coincided with the relative strength index (RSI) reclaiming the 50 threshold, signaling improving positive price momentum.

Let’s apply technical analysis to identify crucial overhead areas on Carvana’s chart that investors may be eyeing and also locate key support levels worth monitoring during pullbacks.

Crucial Overhead Areas to Watch

The first crucial overhead area to watch sits around $265. The shares could encounter selling pressure in this region near last year’s prominent November swing high and a brief period of consolidation that preceded the stock’s record high.

If Carvana shares rally into blue sky territory, investors can forecast an upside target by using the measuring principle, a technique that analyzes chart patterns to predict future price movements.

When applying the analysis to Carvana’s chart, we calculate the distance of the trading range in points and add that amount to the pattern’s upper trendline. For instance, we add $100 to $265, which projects an upside target in the stock of $365, about 65% above Tuesday’s closing price.

Key Support Levels Worth Monitoring

During pullbacks, investors should keep track of the $165 level. This area on the chart may provide support near recent lows and a minor retracement that formed on the chart in late September last year. A breakdown below this level raises the possibility of a double top in the stock.

Finally, selling below the trading range’s lower trendline could see Carvana shares retrace to around $130. Investors may look for buying opportunities in this location near a trendline that links a series of peaks and troughs on the chart between May and September last year.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

A stock market correction, mixed messages on the future of economic policy from the White House, and a plunge in consumer confidence have driven individual investor sentiment and expectations to their lowest levels in years.

According to our recent survey of individual investors, 61% of respondents are either “worried” or “somewhat worried” about recent market events, with over 40% expecting another significant drop of 10% or more for the S&P 500 in the next three months. One-third of respondents are responding to recent market events by investing less in the stock market and 26% are investing more in money market funds. 

While the fear is real, our readers report they still own their favorite stocks, including popular names like Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT). Retail investors have pumped close to $70 billion into U.S. equities and exchange-traded funds so far this year, according to VandaTrack data cited by the Financial Times. That’s way above their monthly average, even as the S&P 500 fell into a correction, and some of the largest stocks lost trillions of dollars in value.

Tariff Uncertainty and Recession Fears Top Worries

Tariffs and reciprocal tariffs against the U.S. lead the long list of investor worries, with nearly three-quarters of respondents listing them as their top concern. The lack of clear and consistent economic and foreign policy from the White House permeates investors’ concerns, as worries about a potential recession, inflation, U.S. relations with China, and weaker corporate profits round out the top five, according to the survey. While the president, the Treasury secretary and even the Federal Reserve have suggested any impact from tariffs could be transient, and create a one-time price adjustment, many investors fear the worst. Three-quarters of respondents now think there is at least a 50/50 chance of a recession in the next 12 months. 

Trust in Government and the Stock Market Plunges

At the heart of investors’ concerns about the safety of their investments is their trust in the current administration. Half of respondents expect the policies enacted and proposed by the Trump administration will hurt their investments over the next four years, while just 25% believe they will benefit. Nearly half, or 48%, say they trust the stock market less under the current administration, and just 37% believe the stock market will deliver returns of 5% or better over the next four years. That’s a drop of twenty percentage points from our survey results in February.

Where Are Fearful Investors Retreating?

Investors seeking safety or diversification amid the recent selloff found it in money market funds, where 26% of respondents say they have been investing more, followed by ETFs, stocks outside the U.S., and Certificates of Deposit.

Looking out over the next four years, one-third of respondents favor U.S. stocks as the asset with the best potential, followed by stocks outside the U.S., gold, private equity, and cryptocurrencies. 

What Would You Do With an Extra $10,000?

If our readers had an extra $10,000 on hand, individual stocks still remain their top investment choice, followed by ETFs. But enthusiasm for both has waned since February, while money market funds and CDs have gained in popularity as yields have remained strong. 

Paying down debt also climbed the list of what some readers would do with an extra $10,000, which may be another sign that individuals and households are feeling the burden of rising costs of living. 

Investopedia Readers’ Favorite Stocks

Individual investors remain fairly consistent with their equity portfolio holdings. Nvidia remains the most widely held stock among respondents, with over 40% indicating they still hold the chipmaker’s stock, which has fallen nearly 20% from its recent all-time high. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet (GOOGL), round out the top five, which has been pretty consistent for several years. Tesla (TSLA) is no longer among their top ten as shares of the automaker have declined 40% from recent highs. 

Nvidia or Die!

Not only is Nvidia our readers’ top holding, it’s also the stock they would buy and hold for the next ten years. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B), is their second choice, proving that diversification and value investing are still alive and well today. It’s also the stock readers would buy today and hold long-term.