Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now

tags:EVG,2,PLXS,NMKEF,IRDMB,CDTX,PEG,TMUS,RL,NILE,

Dividend growth investing can be a great way to boost your passive income over time. To do it right, though, you have to find stocks that can both grow their dividends faster than inflation and have sustainable free cash flows for the long haul.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD), a blue chip biotech stock, meets both of these critical criteria. Even so, this top biotech is rarely considered purely for its prospects as a dividend growth stock. The reason? Gilead only started doling out a dividend approximately three years ago this month. As a result, the company has yet to shed its well-earned image as a top growth stock within the broader investing community. 

Image Source: Getty Images.

However, I think this underappreciated dividend growth play is worth adding to your portfolio right now. Here's why.      

Gilead's risks are overstated

There are two big knocks against Gilead as a dividend growth stock. First off, the company's hepatitis C franchise has literally imploded since hitting a high watermark in late 2015. Gilead has thus had to rely on its core HIV franchise to pick up the slack, and that strategy has so far failed to keep the company's top line moving in the right direction. Despite several new product launches in HIV, the biotech's top line remains on track to drop by a disastrous 20.3% this year.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Eaton Vance Short Diversified Income Fund(EVG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  EATON VANCE SHO/COM (NYSE:EVG) declared a monthly dividend on Thursday, September 6th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, September 21st will be paid a dividend of 0.065 per share on Friday, September 28th. This represents a $0.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.06%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 20th.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: CLP Holdings Ltd (2)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  (1) Cash flow adjusted by working capital and, in the case of Aramco, $21.4 billion owed to the company from the government (2) Production for all companies is the annual average for 2016, the most recent figures available for Aramco

• [By ]

  Long-Short sub-strategy funds gained 1.24 percent in May, underperforming the S&P 500 by 117 basis points.

  NOTE: Go to HFND and select option 3 to see the Bloomberg Hedge Fund Database Snapshot for more details on hedge fund performanceNOTE: See HFS to screen for specific hedge fundsNOTE: All data are total return including reinvested dividends. May data are the most recent available. June returns become available around July 12.NOTE: “Equity Hedge” refers to a Bloomberg-created term for strategies where the largest subset of funds is L/S Equity and Long-Biased hedge fundsRELATED: Here are how some hedge funds performed last monthJune 11: Hedge Fund With 69% Return Sees More to Come From Oil RecoveryJune 8: Macro Hedge Funds Cashed In on Mess From Italy, Trade Wars (2)June 7: BlackRock’s Biggest Hedge Fund Bleeds Talent as Deputy CIOs Exit

  — With assistance by Brian Pennisi

• [By ]

  Read more: Erdogan’s Road Map Out of Market Meltdown Is Full of U-Turns (2)

  Below are some of the highlights on the treasury’s road map, which Albayrak will flesh out during a briefing at 11 a.m. local time on Friday:

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Plexus Corp.(PLXS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Plexus (PLXS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Plexus (PLXS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Plexus (PLXS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nemaska Lithium Inc. (NMKEF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Over the past two months, Nemaska Lithium (OTCQX:NMKEF) has steadily been updating the market on its half-billion-dollar-plus financial raise. The company has aggressively set targets to build out a vertically integrated lithium mining and processing operation ideally positioned to meet growing demand in North America and Europe.

• [By ]

  In April 2018, Nemaska (OTCQX:NMKEF) drew nearly $100 million in investment from Japan's SoftBank (OTCPK:SFTBY) group in exchange for a 9.9% interest in the company and access to lithium hydroxide produced by the company. In March 2018, CATL the world's soon-to-be largest lithium battery manufacturer purchased a controlling stake in the Quebec Lithium project in consideration for $66 million. In February 2018, Korean steel giant, POSCO (PKX) announced a supply agreement and investment into Australian lithium miner Pilbara Minerals (OTCPK:PILBF). In January 2018, Toyota Tsusho (OTCPK:TYHOF), the strategic trading arm of Toyota Motors, invested approximately A$300 million in Orocobre (OTCPK:OROCF) in consideration for 15% of the company. Now, in April 2018, Swedish battery start-up NorthVolt has announced that it has signed an agreement for the supply of up to 5,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide produced at Nemaska Lithium's commercial plant in Shawinigan, Quebec. In connection with the supply of lithium chemicals, NorthVolt has agreed to deliver to Nemaska a 10 million euro promissory note that can be converted into voting shares of NorthVolt.

• [By ]

  Other juniors include: Advantage Lithium (OTCQB:AVLIF) [TSXV:AAL], AIS Resources [TSXV:AIS] (OTCQB:AISSF), American Lithium Corp. [TSX-V: LI] (OTCQB:LIACF), Argentina Lithium and Energy Corp. [TSXV:LIT] (OTCQB:PNXLF), Argosy Minerals [ASX:AGY] (OTC:ARYMF), AVZ Minerals [ASX:AVZ] (OTC:AZZVF), Bacanora Minerals [TSXV:BCN] [AIM:BCN] [GR:1BQ] (OTC:BCRMF), Birimian Ltd [ASX:BGS] (OTC:EEYMF), Critical Elements [TSXV:CRE] [GR:F12] (OTCQX:CRECF), Dajin Resources [TSXV:DJI] (OTCPK:DJIFF), Enigri (private), Eramet (EN Paris:ERA) (OTCPK:ERMAY), European Metals Holdings [ASX:EMH] [AIM:EMH] [GR:E861] (OTC:ERPNF), Far Resources [CSE:FAT] (OTCPK:FRRSF), Force Commodities [ASX:4CE], Kidman Resources [ASX:KDR] [GR:6KR], Latin Resources Ltd [ASX: LRS] (OTC:LAXXF), Lithium Australia [ASX:LIT] (OTC:LMMFF), Lithium Power International [ASX:LPI] (OTC:LTHHF), LSC Lithium [TSXV:LSC] (OTC:LSSCF), MetalsTech [ASX:MTC], MGX Minerals [CSE:XMG] (OTC:MGXMF), Millennial Lithium Corp. [TSXV:ML] (OTCQB:MLNLF), Neo Lithium [TSXV:NLC] (OTC:NTTHF), NRG Metals Inc. [TSXV:NGZ] (OTCQB:NRGMF), Nemaska Lithium [TSX:NMX] [GR:NOT] (OTCQX:NMKEF), North American Lithium (private), Piedmont Lithium [ASX:PLL] (OTC:PLLLY), Prospect Resources [ASX:PSC], Sayona Mining [ASX:SYA] (OTCPK:DMNXF), Savannah Resources [LSE:SAV], Standard Lithium [TSXV:SLL] (OTC:STLHF), and Wealth Minerals [TSXV:WML] (OTCQB:WMLLF).

• [By ]

  Canadian hard-rock lithium chemicals company Nemaska Lithium (OTCQX:NMKEF) is presently at the end of completing a $500 million capital raise which will allow the company to expand into Phase 2 production of the its facility in Quebec. The company has closed an equity deal valued at nearly $100 million from Japan's SoftBank (OTCPK:SFTBY), executed a streaming agreement with Orion Mine Finance LF valued at over $150 million, and engaged with such high-quality financial groups including Clarkson Platou Securities and Pareto Securities as managers of the bond issuance. Further, Nemaska has signed multiple offtake agreements, including NorthVolt, FMC, Softbank and Johnson Matthey Battery Materials, for the purchase of its lithium chemicals once production begins.

• [By ]

  I recently finished putting together the Lithium subsector index of my Industrial Minefinder™ Junior Index (IMJI). To start out, the IMJI Lithium subsector will include 4 companies and comprise 8% of the overall IMJI index, which will include 50 companies in all. Here is a table that shows the holdings:

  Company Market Cap
  ($USD millions;
  as of Jan 2, 2018) Contained
  Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) in Total Resource
  (tonnes) Index
  Weighting Kidman Resources (OTCPK:KDDRF) $596 7,010,955 23% Lithium Americas (OTC:LAC) $809 39,287,234 32% Millennial Lithium (OTCQX:MLNLF) $308 3,009,000 12% Nemaska Lithium (OTCQX:NMKEF) $835 1,593,802 33% $2,548 100%

  The following 6 companies are on the bench for the index:

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Iridium Communications Inc(IRDMB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey, Daniel Miller, and Dan Caplinger]

  We've tasked three of our Motley Fool contributors with finding three out-of-the-way stocks that Wall Street is overlooking and they've identified Iridium Communications (NASDAQ:IRDM)(NASDAQ:IRDMB), Winnebago (NYSE:WGO), and Five Below (NASDAQ:FIVE) as possibilities.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cidara Therapeutics, Inc.(CDTX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Cidara Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CDTX) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The biotechnology company reported ($0.80) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.70) by ($0.10), Bloomberg Earnings reports.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  These are some of the news headlines that may have impacted Accern’s scoring:

  Get Cidara Therapeutics alerts: Statement re Appointment of Matthew Onaitis as Chief Financial Officer (businesswire.com) Mainstay Medical Announces the Appointment of Matthew Onaitis as Chief Financial Officer (businesswire.com) Cidara finance chief bids adieu (seekingalpha.com) Cidara Therapeutics Inc (CDTX) Receives Average Recommendation of “Buy” from Brokerages (americanbankingnews.com)

  Shares of CDTX stock traded down $0.05 on Wednesday, hitting $4.35. 6,508 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 98,568. The company has a current ratio of 7.11, a quick ratio of 7.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market cap of $120.40 million, a P/E ratio of -1.37 and a beta of 1.99. Cidara Therapeutics has a 1-year low of $3.65 and a 1-year high of $8.80.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  These are some of the media headlines that may have impacted Accern Sentiment’s analysis:

  Get Cidara Therapeutics alerts: Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) Upgraded to Buy at WBB Securities (americanbankingnews.com) Data to be Presented at ASM Microbe 2018 Demonstrate the Efficacy and Safety of Cidara's Rezafungin for the Treatment of Invasive Fungal Infections (finance.yahoo.com) Cidara Therapeutics and Rutgers University awarded $5.5M grant from NIH to develop immunotherapy agents targeting gram-negative bacterial infections (seekingalpha.com) Cidara Therapeutics Announces Offering of Common Stock and Warrants (finance.yahoo.com) Cidara Therapeutics and Rutgers University Awarded $5.5 Million Grant from NIH to Support Development of Novel Immunotherapy Agents Targeting Multi-drug Resistant Gram-negative Bacterial Infections (finance.yahoo.com)

  Shares of CDTX stock traded up $0.30 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $5.20. 311,700 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 203,168. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 5.99 and a current ratio of 5.99. The stock has a market cap of $97.33 million, a P/E ratio of -1.64 and a beta of 2.05. Cidara Therapeutics has a twelve month low of $3.70 and a twelve month high of $8.80.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Cantor Fitzgerald set a $15.00 target price on Cidara Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CDTX) in a report released on Tuesday morning. The firm currently has a buy rating on the biotechnology company’s stock.

• [By Trey Thoelcke]

  This small-cap biotech company also has big-time potential. Cidara Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CDTX) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of anti-infectives. It is developing a pipeline of product and development candidates with a focus on serious fungal infections.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated(PEG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Quad Capital Management Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE:PEG) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 7,660 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $385,000.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Baird Financial Group Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE:PEG) by 6.0% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 30,164 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 1,930 shares during the quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Public Service Enterprise Group were worth $1,633,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG) and Westar Energy (NYSE:WR) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: T-Mobile US, Inc.(TMUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on T-Mobile Us (TMUS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Money Morning Reports]

  The second telecom stock to own is T-Mobile US Inc. (NYSE: TMUS).

  Even though regulators have "stopped the clock" on the company's proposed merger with Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S), T-Mobile represents the type of market upside that we're looking for in a telecom stock.

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  In my view, Frontier Communications (NASDAQ:FTR) is all of those terrible things. Yes, it's cheap, but that should not tempt investors. Buying a stock at a low price makes sense if there's a reasonable expectation it will rise. Frontier seems like a deal compared with high-flying T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS), but as I see it, that's like saying a broken-down scooter is a good deal compared with a new Porsche.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation(RL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL) by 11.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 9,151 shares of the textile maker’s stock after buying an additional 909 shares during the quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Ralph Lauren were worth $1,023,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARA) shares surged 42.76 percent to close at $16.56 on Wednesday in reaction to a new licensing agreement with Europe-based Vifor Pharma. As part of the agreement, the biopharmaceutical company that alleviates pain licensed worldwide rights (except U.S., Japan, and South Korea) to Vifor Pharma to commercialize its KORSUVA therapy to Vifor $70 million. Yangtze River Port and Logistics Limited (NASDAQ: YRIV) gained 31.28 percent to close at $7.05 on Wednesday. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) climbed 23.29 percent to close at $126.05 after the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter and raised its FY2018 earnings guidance. EVO Payments, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVOP) gained 18.88 percent to close at $19.02. EVO Payments priced its IPO at $16 per share. Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) rose 16.1 percent to close at $6.85. USA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAT) gained 15.68 percent to close at $13.65 after announcing pricing of public offering. eXp World Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI) shares jumped 15.01 percent to close at $17.70. Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) gained 14.99 percent to close at $4.68. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) rose 14.62 percent to close at $19.36. Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) shares rose 14.34 percent to close at $133.33 after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its fourth quarter. Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) jumped 13.26 percent to close at $17.34 on Wednesday. Turtle Beach S-3 showed registration for 1.857 million share common stock offering via selling holders. Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCS) rose 13.18 percent to close at $3.95. Communications Systems reported establishment of special committee to explore strategic alternatives. Immutep Limited (NASDAQ: IMMP) shares climbed 12.95 percent to close at $2.53. xG Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: XGTI) rose 12.64 percent to close at $0.8561 after the company&rsq
• [By Leo Sun]

  Shares of Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) rallied 8% on Feb. 5 after the apparel retailer's third quarter numbers topped Wall Street's expectations. Its revenue rose 5% annually (6% on a constant currency basis) to $1.73 billion and beat estimates by $70 million. Its non-GAAP EPS climbed 14% to $2.32, topping expectations by $0.17.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) was up 14% at $133.33 on Wednesday after earnings. Credit Suisse maintained its Outperform rating and raised its target to $153 from $135. Barclays left its Underweight rating in place but still raised its target to $110 from $103 after the stronger report.

• [By Taylor Cox]

  Notable Earnings

  Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) Q1 premarket Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) Q4 premarket Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) Q1 premarket Lowe’s Companies, Inc (NYSE: LOW) Q1 premarket L Brands, Inc (NYSE: LB) Q1 after hours NetApp, Inc (NASDAQ: NTAP) Q4 after hours

  IPOs

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Blue Nile Inc.(NILE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  News headlines about Blue Nile (NASDAQ:NILE) have trended somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment reports. Accern ranks the sentiment of media coverage by analyzing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Blue Nile earned a news sentiment score of 0.04 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media coverage about the company an impact score of 44.0484134103501 out of 100, meaning that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the next few days.