Analyst Moves: McDonald's, Alcoa, Best Buy, More (MCD, AA, BBY, More)

Before Wednesday’s opening bell, a number of big name dividend stocks were the subject of analyst moves. Below, we highlight the important analyst commentary for investors.

McDonald’s Boosted to “Outperform”

McDonald’s (MCD ) has been upgraded from “Sector Perform” to “Outperform” at RBC Capital as analysts expect sales and and returns to become positive by the end of 2015. The firm has a $115 price target on MCD, suggesting a 15% upside from the stock’s current price. MCD has a dividend yield of 3.41%.

BofA/Merrill Downgrades Alcoa

Alcoa (AA ) has been cut to “Neutral” at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. The firm has also lowered estimates on AA due to a lower aluminum outlook. AA has a dividend yield of 0.79%.

Best Buy Upgraded to “Neutral”

Wedbush has upgraded Best Buy (BBY ) from “Underperform” to “Neutral” as its execution has improved. The firm also noted that BBY should benefit from environmental tailwinds. BBY has a dividend yield of 1.94%.

Cantor Raises Price Target on Kroger

Cantor Fitzgerald has raised its price target on Kroger (KR ) to $67, suggesting a 4% decline from the stock’s current price. The firm has also boosted estimates on KR due to better fuel margins. KR has a dividend yield of 1.06%.