What Stocks Are the Analysts Buzzing About?

Find out what Wall Street analysts were saying about Allstate, Western Union, and dividend payers like General Mills and McDonald's in this week's CNBC.com StockBlog Roundup.

What Stocks Are the Analysts Buzzing About?
Tim Boyle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

With much of attention focused on the property casualty insurers following Hurricane Sandy, Allstate CEO Thomas Wilson said that the storm was "not expected to have a material impact" on the company's financial condition. Deutsche Bank analyst Joshua Shanker wrote that "an Allstate loss of less than $500 (million) for Sandy may be seen as a triumph."

Western Union's sharply reduced outlook led to a round of analyst downgrades this week as analysts expressed deeper worries about management and the strategic direction of the company.

Investors looking for dividends should invest for income not chase yield. The Street.com looks at five stocks that continue to return cash to shareholders – General Mills , CSX, McDonald's , Church & Dwight and Digital Realty Trust .

McDonald's shares have pulled back and that may create an attractive opportunity to buy a well-known and stable brand with an attractive dividend kicker.

Additional News: Short-Sellers of Europe Set to Be Unmasked

Additional Views: 5 Insurance Stocks in Hurricane Sandy's Crosshairs ______________________________

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