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IBM CEO Arvind Krishna discusses the company's completion of its $11 billion acquisition of Confluent. Speaking with Caroline Hyde on "Bloomberg Open Interest," Krishna also says AI is a tailwind for the company and hasn't resulted in a net decrease in workers.

Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ: CFLT - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average rating of "Hold" from the thirty-three brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, twenty-eight have issued a hold recommendation, three have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Confluent, Inc. ("Confluent" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CFLT).  Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.  

The investigation concerns whether Confluent and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action] 

On July 30, 2025, Confluent reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2025.  Among other items, Confluent disclosed that "an AI-native customer has been making a broad-based move towards self-management of internal data platforms."  Confluent advised that this shift resulted in reduced usage of Confluent Cloud, and while the Company secured a Confluent Platform deal with the client in Q3 to continue supporting their streaming needs, the transition "represents a significant reduction in total spending with Confluent starting in Q4."  Consequently, the change is "expected to dampen [Confluent's] Q4 cloud revenue growth rate by low single digits." 

On this news, Confluent's stock price fell $8.67 per share, or 32.86%, to close at $17.73 per share on July 31, 2025.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising.  Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.  

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

NEW YORK, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Confluent, Inc. ("Confluent" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CFLT).  Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext.

NEW YORK, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Confluent, Inc. (“Confluent” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CFLT).   Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

NEW YORK, April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Confluent, Inc. (“Confluent” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CFLT).   Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

NEW YORK, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Confluent, Inc. (“Confluent” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CFLT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Confluent, an IBM Company and the data streaming pioneer, today announced new capabilities in Confluent Intelligence and Confluent Cloud that streamline how real-time artificial intelligence (AI) applications are built and secured. These updates remove the security and complexity barriers that stop organizations from moving AI workloads into the real world: Confluent unifies the AI life cycle with tools that developers already live in, integrating Apache Flink® pipeline.

The Zacks Style Scores offers investors a way to easily find top-rated stocks based on their investing style. Here's why you should take advantage.

ATLANTA, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) has released its first quarter 2026 results. Please visit the Investors section of Cousins' website at www.cousins.com to access the Earnings Release and Supplemental Information.

Cousins Properties (CUZ) came out with quarterly funds from operations (FFO) of $0.73 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.71 per share. This compares to FFO of $0.74 per share a year ago.

CUZ beats Q1 FFO estimates as leasing stays strong, revenues rise, and 2026 guidance widens with buybacks and debt financing gains.

Technology-led demand gives the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry a strong growth path. Data centers, communication infrastructure and quality assets across office, industrial, health care, life sciences and storage are gaining importance as tenants seek reliable, efficient and service-rich space. Better systems and stronger properties should support resilient demand. Amid this, Prologis, Inc. (PLD - Free Report) , Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ - Free Report) and Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (SHO - Free Report) are well-poised to benefit.

Still, the industry faces pressure from higher construction costs, labor constraints, power limits, supply-chain delays and cautious lenders. Tenant demand can shift, so future gains will depend on disciplined funding, cost control and execution.

About the Industry The Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Other sector comprises a diverse collection of REIT stocks representing various asset categories, including industrial, office, lodging, healthcare, self-storage, data centers, infrastructure and more. Equity REITs lease out space within these properties to tenants, generating income through rental payments. Economic growth assumes a central role within the real estate sector as economic expansion directly correlates with higher demand for real estate, increased occupancy rates and greater bargaining power for landlords to command higher rental rates. The performance of Equity REITs hinges on the specific dynamics of their underlying assets and the geographic location of their properties. As such, real estate is becoming more closely tied to how companies operate, how technology grows and how people use specialized spaces.

What's Shaping the Future of the REIT and Equity Trust - Other Industry? Technology-Led Demand Is Becoming a Major Growth Driver: A major positive is the growing need for real estate that supports technology and connectivity. Data centers and communication infrastructure are becoming more important as businesses rely more on cloud platforms, artificial intelligence, mobile traffic and secure digital operations. These assets are not optional for many tenants. They sit behind everyday business activity, from storing information to moving it quickly and safely. This creates a strong role for landlords that can offer reliable power, scale, technical know-how and locations that help tenants expand. As technology keeps moving deeper into business life, this part of real estate should remain one of the clearest growth engines.

Quality Space Is Gaining Share Across Several Property Types: Across office, industrial, health care, life sciences and storage-related assets, the stronger properties are standing out. Tenants are being more selective, but they are still willing to choose buildings that help them operate better. In offices, that means modern, well-located and service-rich workplaces that support in-person work and employee experience. In industrial, it means efficient facilities that help companies manage supply chains and automation. In health care and life sciences, demand is supported by long-term needs tied to care delivery, research and specialized operations. Even in storage, operators are using pricing tools, customer data and disciplined expansion to protect value. The common theme is that better assets, better systems and better service are becoming more important than simply owning more space.

Costs and Execution Risks Remain a Real Pressure Point: The outlook is not without strain. Many REITs are dealing with higher construction costs, labor pressure, power constraints, supply-chain delays and more careful lenders. Some tenants are still cautious, and in a few property types, demand can shift quickly depending on business confidence or customer activity. Development also requires more discipline because new projects need the right tenant interest, funding and timing to make sense. This means the industry’s future may favor owners that can control expenses, raise capital wisely and avoid chasing growth for its own sake. The opportunity is there, but it will reward careful execution rather than broad optimism.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Prospects The Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry is housed within the broader Finance sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #81, which places it in the top 33% of around 250 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates healthy near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industry’s positioning in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of the northward revision of funds from operations (FFO) per share outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate FFO per share estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gaining confidence in this group’s growth potential of late. Since February-end, the industry’s FFO per share estimates for 2026 have moved north.

Before we present a few stocks that you might want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and valuation picture.

Industry Lags Stock Market Performance The REIT and Equity Trust - Other Industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite and the broader Zacks Finance sector in a year.

The industry has risen 8% during this period compared with the S&P 500’s growth of 29% and the broader Finance sector’s 9% increase.

One-Year Price Performance

Industry's Current Valuation On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-FFO ratio, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing REIT - Others, we see that the industry is currently trading at 16.31 compared with the S&P 500’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) of 22.09. However, the industry is trading above the Finance sector’s forward 12-month P/E of 15.61. This is shown in the chart below.

Forward 12 Month Price-to-FFO (P/FFO) Ratio

Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 22.27X and as low as 12.86X, with a median of 15.81X.

3 REIT and Equity Trust - Other Stocks to Buy Sunstone Hotel Investors: This is a lodging REIT focused on owning, operating and improving a high-quality portfolio of 14 hotels with around 7,000 rooms. Its properties are largely affiliated with nationally recognized brands and positioned in attractive resort, urban and convention markets, giving the company a balanced platform for long-term value creation.

Sunstone’s investment case is supported by strong portfolio momentum, disciplined cost control and active capital allocation. The company reported a solid first quarter, raised its 2026 outlook, and continues to benefit from growth assets such as Andaz Miami Beach, recovering resort demand in Maui, and opportunistic share repurchases that support earnings and shareholder value.

SHO currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 revenues calls for a year-over-year increase of 4.49%. The stock has rallied 8.2% in the past three months. The consensus mark for 2026 FFO per share has been revised upward over the past month to 91 cents, suggesting a 5.81% increase year over year.  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Price and Consensus: SHO

Prologis: This is a leading global industrial REIT focused on high-quality warehouses and supply chain infrastructure in key consumption markets. Its platform supports major customers across e-commerce, retail, transportation and manufacturing, with a portfolio designed around resilient demand and long-term customer relationships.

The company’s pitch is its scale, disciplined execution and expanding growth avenues. Prologis delivered strong leasing momentum in first-quarter 2026, maintained high occupancy and is investing in attractive areas such as data centers and energy. It recorded 64 million square feet of lease signings and 75.8% retention. It is also scaling data centers, with $1.3 billion of build-to-suit starts, while about $6.7 billion in liquidity supports disciplined expansion and capital flexibility. Its strong balance sheet and global customer base position it well for steady cash flow growth.

Prologis currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PLD’s 2026 revenues calls for 4.92% increase year over year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 FFO per share suggests a 6.20% rise. The stock has appreciated 14.8% in the past six months.

Price and Consensus: PLD

Cousins Properties: This is an Atlanta-based, fully integrated REIT focused on Class A office buildings in high-growth Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, the company builds value through development, acquisitions, leasing and management of high-quality real estate, with a strategy centered on a simple platform, trophy assets and opportunistic investments.

The investment case is built on improving office demand, limited new supply and Cousins’ strong positioning in lifestyle-oriented workplaces. Recent results show healthy leasing momentum, rising occupancy and confidence from management, while portfolio upgrades and selective capital recycling support future growth. First-quarter 2026 leasing totaled 932,000 square feet, and portfolio occupancy improved to 88.9%.

CUZ currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 FFO per share has been raised marginally over the past two months, suggesting 3.17% year over year increase. The stock has risen 6.7% over the past three months.

Price and Consensus: CUZ

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) — a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

This office-focused REIT manages Class A properties in high-growth Sun Belt markets, serving corporate tenants seeking premium space.

Key Takeaways CUZ signed 932,000 sq. ft. of Q1 leases, with more than half from new and expansion deals.Cousins' second-generation cash rents climbed 15.2% in Q1, signaling pricing power in top-tier space.CUZ is recycling assets, buying 300 South Tryon and selling properties, to sharpen its portfolio mix. Office real estate is still a tough sector, but not every office landlord is facing the same story. Older buildings in weaker locations remain under pressure, while newer, well-located and amenity-rich properties are getting a bigger share of tenant demand. Cousins Properties (CUZ - Free Report) sits on the stronger side of that divide.

The company focuses on high-quality office assets in Sun Belt markets such as Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Nashville, TN, Dallas and Phoenix. These cities continue to attract businesses and workers, helped by job growth, population gains and a lower-cost operating environment compared with many coastal markets.

This makes CUZ an interesting stock for investors who believe the best office properties can keep recovering. Its latest results showed stronger leasing, rising rents and steady portfolio upgrades. The stock has gained 13.2% over the past three months, while the industry has slipped 0.7%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Analysts also seem optimistic about this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for both its 2026 and 2027 FFO per share being revised marginally upward over the past 60 days. The figures also suggest an increase of 3.17% and 4.03%, respectively, year over year. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Here are five reasons to consider buying Cousins Properties stock.

Factors That Make CUZ Stock a Solid PickLeasing Momentum Is Strong: One of the foremost reasons to like Cousins is tenant demand. The company signed 932,000 square feet of office leases in the first quarter, one of its best leasing quarters in years. More than half of that activity came from new and expansion leases, which suggests demand is not just about holding on to existing tenants. Management also pointed to a healthy late-stage leasing pipeline, giving investors confidence that occupancy can keep moving higher.

Rents Are Moving in the Right Direction: Cousins is not filling buildings by cutting prices. Second-generation cash rents rose 15.2% in the quarter, extending a long streak of positive rent growth. This is important because it shows pricing power in a market where top-tier space is becoming harder to find. If supply stays tight, the company is expected to have room to keep pushing rents over time.

Sun Belt Strategy Holds Potential: Cousins owns Class A office properties in Sun Belt markets, which continue to benefit from population growth, job creation and corporate migration. Companies looking for talent, lower costs and better business climates are still expanding in these markets, and Cousins is positioned in the type of buildings those tenants want.

Balance Sheet Gives Management Flexibility: Cousins has an investment-grade profile, access to unsecured debt markets and a larger credit facility. The company has solid liquidity, helped by a new $1.2 billion unsecured credit facility and a $500 million bond issue that addresses its 2026 refinancing needs. Leverage was 5.66X in the first quarter, but management expects it to move back toward the low-5X range as planned asset sales are completed. This gives CUZ room to fund acquisitions, buy back shares and improve the portfolio without taking on too much financial risk.

Portfolio Upgrades Can Support Future Growth: The company is actively improving its asset mix. It bought 300 South Tryon in Charlotte, sold Harborview Plaza in Tampa and is under contract to sell One Eleven Congress in Austin. This steady recycling is expected to leave Cousins with a cleaner, higher-quality portfolio. For investors who believe the best office assets will keep separating from the rest, CUZ offers a focused way to play that trend.

Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks from the broader REIT sector are Prologis, Inc. (PLD - Free Report) and W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Prologis’ 2026 FFO per share suggests a 6.37% increase year over year.

The consensus mark for W. P. Carey’s 2026 FFO per share has been revised six cents upward to $5.26 over the past month.

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

Cousins Properties remains a buy, supported by Q1 earnings beat, Sunbelt-focused portfolio growth, and resilient 5-year revenue trends. Q1 saw new office leases executed, with 52% from new and expansion leases, highlighting strong leasing momentum. CUZ's acquisition of a 638,000-square-foot Charlotte property further strengthens its Sunbelt presence and portfolio optimization strategy.

Conagra Brands (CAG) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock?

In investing, it's OK to be wrong once. You cannot be wrong twice. This means when you've picked a loser, you need to bail. We revisit Buffett's rule No. 1, analyze five duds, and explain what investors can do.

Conagra Brands' Q3 adjusted gross margin slides 112 bps to 23.7%, even as organic sales return to growth, showing costs still bite.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 11: The Wall Street street sign is seen outside of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on April 11, 2025 in New York City. Stocks continued to slide amid tariff fears after U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily reduced country-specific duties to a universal rate of 10% except for China. China retaliated by raising its levies on U.S. products to 125% from 84%. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Let’s capitalize on analyst incompetence—and bank yields up to 18.3%, with upside to boot!

A widely cited academic study on analyst target price accuracy found that only about 54% of 12-month price targets correctly predicted even the direction of the subsequent price move.

Fifty-four percent. On direction alone. That’s barely better than a coin flip!

Analysts give specific price targets to stocks like they are scripture. In reality, they don’t even know if the thing is going to move up or down.

And it gets uglier. A 2024 Yale School of Management study found that analysts systematically delay downgrading stocks after bad news—to curry favor with the companies they cover. The suits aren’t just bad at predicting stock moves. They’re deliberately stalling their warnings to protect their banking relationships.

Put those two facts together and the picture is clear. Wall Street “research” is a farce. Which is exactly why it works so well as a contrarian indicator!

When Wall Street’s collective price target sits below the stock’s current price, that’s not a signal to sell. That’s a signal that full pessimism is baked in! All it takes is one decent earnings report and the stock gaps higher while the research machine scrambles to reload.

Today we’ll review five hated dividend payers with yields of 6.7% to 18.3% with the potential to rally when analysts change their tune.

MORE FOR YOU

5 Hated High Yield StocksLet’s start with Virtus Investment Partners (VRTS), an investment manager that provides mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds (CEFs), insurance funds, separately managed accounts and more.

This is no Vanguard or Fidelity. Its $160 billion or so in assets under management (AUM) is a fraction of what the big boys handle, and most readers might not recognize the name.

But Virtus still stands out because of its structure. It’s a partnership of numerous boutique investment advisers, which means different funds under the Virtus name are often managed by different groups.

This company peaked in late 2021 amid the broader market’s roaring recovery. Since then, however, it has lost nearly 60% of its value, reflecting slowdowns on both the top and bottom lines. This year might not be any different, with the pros looking for single-digit declines in both revenues and profits.

Part of the issue has been weak performance in some of Virtus’ most important funds. But there’s also the overall nature of its products—Virtus is a predominantly actively managed (read: higher-fee) outfit in an age when most investors are looking for passive, low-fee ways to invest.

Wall Street’s not high on this stock as a result. A common thread among hated stocks is that they’re also poorly covered stocks—many analysts prefer to simply drop coverage of a company rather than irk management by telling people to sell. That’s the case with VRTS, which has just four covering analysts. One says it’s a Buy, one calls it a Hold, and the other two are Sells. For however tame that might sound, that’s an ugly split in the stock-research world.

Virtus does have a handful of contrarian appeals, though.

Shares trade for a paper-thin 5.5 times next year’s earnings estimates. The dividend has exploded by more than 400% over the past decade, and that includes a near-doubling over the past five years alone. That payout is safe, too, at less than 40% of next year’s earnings. And the company has made numerous acquisitions (such as Alphasimplex, AGI and Stone Harbor) in hopes of sparking longer-term growth.

Alexander’s (ALX)
Dividend Yield: 7.6%

Alexander’s (ALX) is a REIT that operates exclusively in the greater New York City metropolitan area. It’s technically classified as an office landlord, though its properties also include retail and residential space. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO), which predominantly operates in the Big Apple (but also owns one property in each of Chicago and San Francisco), owns a 32.4% stake and also manages the company, which means ALX owes it annual management fees and occasionally development fees.

The most important thing to know about Alexander’s is just how concentrated it is. ALX has just five properties under its umbrella—and it’s about to be four. In March, the company entered an agreement to sell its Rego Park I property to Northwell Health for $202 million in net proceeds.

So, in a nutshell:

Alexander’s already-tiny real estate roster is somehow getting smaller.Despite its small portfolio, the company still has external management expenses.ALX earned $10.82 per share over the trailing 12 months and is expected to earn $12.08 per share across 2026, but it’s on pace to pay out almost 50% more than that ($18 per share) in dividends.Shares trade around 19 times next year’s AFFO estimates.The stock is down to one lone analyst who says we should Sell.I pointed out Alexander’s loathed status on Wall Street back in November. Since then, it has put together a 15% gain, but it has done so by fattening an already hefty valuation.

If ALX continues to rise from here, it will be defying gravity—and sanity.

ConAgra Brands (CAG)
Dividend Yield: 10.0%

Companies selling pantry and household basics are not popular right now. I recently highlighted how sector-wide pain had driven up consumer staples yields, but it’s not just shareholders who are selling—analysts think we should unload those stocks, too. Wall Street’s most-hated list includes a ton of sector names, including Kraft Heinz (KHC), Campbell’s Soup (CPB) and General Mills (GIS), the last of which I identified as a prime GLP-1 victim.

But the worst-rated of the group right now is Conagra Brands (CAG), which has gone from a reasonably high yielder to a sky-high payday for the wrong reason: a multiyear cratering in shares.

CAG Yield

Ycharts

Conagra owns a broad portfolio of packaged food brands, including Banquet, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender’s, Vlasic, Duncan Hines, Slim Jim, Reddi-Wip, and more. It also has a foodservice business that offers more diversification than most grocery-anchored staples names.

But it has been taking blows from all sides: GLP-1 adoption. Soaring input costs. Cuts to SNAP. Encroachment by private-label brands. Its top and bottom lines have been contracting, and the pros expect more of the same over the next couple years.

Understandably, the pros don’t love it. A dozen analysts covering Conagra say investors should stay on the sidelines; two call it a Buy, and four say it’s a Sell. Consider this a “bearish Hold”; analysts overcorrect toward being bullish, which means even Holds have a negative connotation, making this a very bearish consensus.

The dividend is in doubt. The payout represents about 80% of next year’s (lower) earnings estimates, which by itself doesn’t signal an immediate threat—plenty of defensive companies can manage at that level. However, 1.) it doesn’t give CAG much room to explore M&A to reposition its portfolio, and 2.) that’s well above Conagra’s stated target ratio range of 50% to 55%.

Western Union (WU)
Dividend Yield: 10.5%

Western Union (WU) was founded as a telegraph service, and its core business today is money transfers in an age of PayPal and Venmo.

It seems like such a dead company from 10,000 feet that Wall Street’s view—it has 10 Holds, just 1 Buy, and six Sells on the stock—almost seems too optimistic.

But credit where credit is due: Western Union has been scrapping hard to remain relevant.

Its “Evolve 2025” initiative is standard corporate fare: new products and improvements, as well as operational efficiencies.

However, in April 2025, it spent $77 million on foreign-exchange specialist Eurochange to further expand its “Travel Money” unit.

It made a bigger splash that summer with a $500 million acquisition of Miami-based International Money Express (IMXI), aka Intermex, which serves some 6 million customers who send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries. (The deal is expected to close in mid-2026.)

WU has also begun to lean heavily into digital assets. It very recently launched its own “USDPT” stablecoin alongside its Digital Asset Network, the latter of which will help people with partnered cryptocurrency wallets cash out across Western Union’s network of 380,000 agents. A Visa-branded prepaid USD “stable card” is expected to launch later this year, will let consumers hold value in Western Union’s USDPT and spend it globally.

The question is whether all of this will help counter the secular decline of its cash-based money-transfer business. One promising sign? Revenues are expected to improve by mid-single-digits this year and next, and while profits are expected to remain virtually flat for the fourth straight year, the pros now see a 10% bump in the bottom line for 2027.

Prospect Capital (PSEC)
Dividend Yield: 18.3%

Prospect Capital (PSEC) has a lot of headline stats that are hard to ignore. It pays more than 18% right now. It’s a monthly dividend stock, to boot. And it trades at a wild 60% discount to its net asset value (NAV), making it one of the cheapest business development companies (BDCs) on the market.

On the other hand …

PSEC Total Returns

Ycharts

It was already a miserable history to overcome, and it got even worse of late, with Prospect Capital taking another slice out of its dividend in early May.

Wall Street is fed up. Only one analyst covers PSEC anymore, and they think we’re better off without it.

However, despite its steep losses of the past few years, PSEC is still one of the larger BDCs by both market cap ($1.2 billion) and net assets ($3 billion).

Prospect has a diverse portfolio of 89 companies across 31 industries, though I should point out that’s a couple dozen fewer investments than it had less than a year ago. The company is in the midst of trying to transform its portfolio—it has been increasing its first lien mix (72%) and reducing its second lien senior and secured loans (12.4% of the portfolio at cost). It has also fully unloaded its CLO equity portfolio and exited several real estate properties.

PSEC is also much more defensively positioned for the current market moment, with just 3% software-industry exposure versus a peer average of 23%.

These moves might eventually bear fruit, but Prospect Capital is a “show me” stock given its past, and so far, it’s not showing much. PSEC has reported year-over-year declines in quarterly net interest income across all three quarters of its current fiscal year, it’s pacing for an 8% drop in profits for the full year, and its cash payout has been cut down yet again.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: How to Live off Huge Monthly Dividends (up to 8.2%) — Practically Forever.

Conagra has a huge 9.9% dividend yield, while General Mills' yield is 7.2%. Dividend investors should tread with caution with one of these food makers, but the other could be a long-term opportunity.

In consumer goods, the highest yields often signal distress, so the strongest choices are companies whose cash flow clearly supports their payouts. Philip Morris and British American Tobacco pair high yields with credible growth in alternative products, for the strongest blend of income and business momentum.

Conagra Brands, Inc. (CAG) faces persistent operational and strategic challenges, with shares down 22% YTD despite a sector rally and a new CEO recently appointed. CAG's 10.4% dividend yield appears covered by operating cash flow, but long-term safety is questionable without a credible growth or innovation strategy. Organic growth remains inconsistent, with recent gains driven by price/mix rather than volume, and margin compression persists amid commodity inflation and tariffs.

For most investors, the main reason to look at Conagra (CAG 0.85%) today is likely the stock's shockingly high 9.8% dividend yield. That is way out of line with the average consumer staples stock's yield of 2.1%. Is this a huge opportunity, or is it a sign of risk?

Conagra's stock price probably won't fall all the way to zero. But investors will likely want to watch from the sidelines anyway. Here's why.

Image source: Getty Images.

Conagra isn't an industry leader Conagra owns brands you probably know, such as Slim Jim. However, when you step back and look at the full portfolio, it isn't really filled with industry-leading brands. In many ways, Conagra is a second-tier competitor. That's not a terrible thing, per se, but it increases risk because Conagra is following the consumer staples pack rather than leading it.

Notably, the company's financial performance has been weak. For example, after reporting a fairly strong fiscal third-quarter 2026 organic sales gain of 1.9%, the company said the full year would still be closer to break-even. And adjusted earnings would be at the low-end of management's guidance range of $1.70 to $1.85 per share. That means investors should expect a notable drop from the previous year's $2.30. In fiscal 2025, meanwhile, organic sales fell 2.9% and adjusted earnings dropped nearly 14%.

CAG Times Interest Earned (TTM) data by YCharts

If Conagra's adjusted earnings come in at $1.70, the bottom of management's guidance range, it will still cover its $1.40-per-share annual dividend. But there are other concerns to consider, such as the company's leverage, noting that its ability to cover its interest expenses is weaker than many of its packaged food peers. The company is actively working on debt reduction, but there's still more work to be done on the balance sheet. If push comes to shove, the dividend could end up being cut, just like it was in 2006 and 2017.

Conagra will survive, but a recession would likely hurt It is highly unlikely that Conagra descends into bankruptcy anytime soon. However, changing consumer buying habits, belt-tightening consumers, energy price-driven margin compression, and the increasing risk of a recession are all big issues to consider before you buy this business.

Already struggling, Conagra would likely have an even more difficult time if the business environment worsened before it started to improve. Given the uncertainty in the market and the economy, such an outcome seems entirely possible. And that means conservative dividend investors should err on the side of caution, not take a risk on an industry laggard.

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.

Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the energy sector.

Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG)

Dividend Yield: 10.98%

UBS analyst Bryan Adams maintained a Neutral rating on the stock, while lowering the price target from $16 to $13 on June 2, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 65%.

Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey reiterated an Underweight rating while cutting the price target from $14 to $13 on May 18, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%.

Recent News: Shares of Conagra Brands declined 1.91% to close at $12.86 Tuesday. This marked the third consecutive day of declines for the stock, which underperformed its peers and the broader market.

Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to latest CAG news.

General Mills Inc (NYSE:GIS)

Dividend Yield: 7.35%

UBS analyst Peter Grom maintained a Sell rating on the stock, while lowering the price target from $35 to $30 on June 2, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 60%.

Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey reaffirmed an Underweight rating on the stock, while lowering the price target from $33 to $30 on May 18, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%.

Recent News: On June 1, General Mills announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Häagen-Dazs shops in Mainland China to an investor group led by Ningji. The sale is expected to be completed in calendar 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to latest GIS news.

J.M. Smucker Co (NYSE:SJM)

Dividend Yield: 4.39%

UBS analyst Peter Grom maintained a Buy rating while lowering the price target from $132 to $121 on June 2, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 60%.

Evercore ISI Group analyst David Palmer initiated the stock with an Outperform rating and price target of $117 on May 15, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 52%.

Bernstein analyst Alexia Howard reiterated an Outperform rating on the stock, while decreasing the price target from $145 to $134 on May 4, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 50%.

Recent News: Analysts expect JM Smucker to deliver higher revenue and earnings, year-on-year, when it reports its fiscal fourth quarter results on June 9. Wall Street expects the company to report an adjusted EPS of $2.65 on revenue of $2.27 billion.

Benzinga Pro’s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest SJM news.

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