Merck serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals and government agencies; managed health care providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and other institutions; and physicians and physician distributors, veterinarians and animal producers. The company has collaborations with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eisai, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Gilead Sciences.
The dividend yield here is 3.15%. Goldman Sachs has set a $106 target price. Merck stock has a $100.90 consensus target, and Tuesday’s closing print was $91.05.
NRG Energy
This stock has made a nice run off the lows and is a solid idea for investors who are more conservative. NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG) operates as an integrated power company in the United States that produces, sells and delivers electricity and related products and services to 3.6 million residential, industrial and commercial consumers.
The company generates electricity using natural gas, coal, oil, solar, nuclear and battery storage. It also provides system power, distributed generation, renewable products, backup generation, storage and distributed solar, demand response, energy efficiency, advisory and on-site energy solutions, as well as carbon management and specialty services.
In addition, NRG trades in electric power, natural gas and related commodities; environmental products; weather products; and financial products, including forwards, futures, options and swaps. Further, the company procures fuels; provides transportation services; and directly sells energy, services and products and services to retail customers under the NRG, Reliant, Green Mountain Energy, Stream, XOOM Energy and other brand names.
Investors are paid a very safe and solid 3.41% dividend. NRG Energy stock has a $46 price objective at Goldman Sachs. The consensus figure is $44.40, and shares closed on Tuesday at $41.06.
PepsiCo
This top consumer staples company will be supplying the goods for football tailgates and parties. PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) operates as a food and beverage company worldwide. Its Frito-Lay North America segment offers Lay’s and Ruffles potato chips; Doritos, Tostitos and Santitas tortilla chips; and Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, branded dips and Fritos corn chips.
The Quaker Foods North America segment provides Quaker oatmeal, grits, rice cakes, natural granola and oat squares, as well as the recently name-changed Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, and Quaker Chewy granola bars, Cap’n Crunch cereal, Life cereal and Rice-A-Roni side dishes.
Its North America Beverages segment offers beverage concentrates, fountain syrups and finished goods under the Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Aquafina, Tropicana Pure Premium, Sierra Mist and Mug brands, as well as ready-to-drink tea and coffee, and juices.
Shareholders receive a 2.84% dividend. Goldman Sachs’s $185 price target is higher than the consensus target of $182.08. PepsiCo stock closed on Tuesday at $162.59.
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