Market volatility has remained elevated amid geopolitical tensions and concerns over the sustainability of the AI boom. For investors seeking more predictable income, dividend-paying stocks can offer some stability.
Here are three dividend stocks favored by highly rated Wall Street analysts, based on rankings from TipRanks.
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Phillips 66
Phillips 66 offers a quarterly dividend of $1.27 per share, or $5.08 annually, for a yield of about 2.25%.
After the company reported solid second-quarter results, TD Cowen analyst Jason Gabelman maintained a buy rating and raised his price target to $255 from $240.
Gabelman pointed to lower net debt and management’s expectation of reaching its $15.5 billion target a year ahead of schedule. He expects net debt to fall to $14.6 billion by the end of 2026 and said the stronger balance sheet could make Phillips 66 a more defensive refining play.
The analyst ranks No. 554 among more than 12,400 analysts tracked by TipRanks, with profitable ratings 66% of the time and an average return of 14.9%.
Crescent Energy
Crescent Energy pays a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, equivalent to an annualized yield of about 4%.
Following better-than-expected second-quarter results, Evercore analyst Stephen Richardson reiterated a buy rating and maintained a price target of $18.
Crescent’s oil production and cash flow exceeded expectations, while the company raised its full-year production guidance. Richardson also highlighted progress following the Vital Energy acquisition, with Crescent increasing its expected synergies to as much as $300 million.
The analyst ranks No. 579 on TipRanks, with successful ratings 65% of the time and an average return of 12.5%.
Viper Energy
Viper Energy, which is effectively controlled by Diamondback Energy, owns mineral and royalty interests in oil-producing regions, primarily the Permian Basin.
The company recently increased its base dividend by 32%, bringing the annualized yield to about 4.5%. It also changed its shareholder-return policy to give the company more flexibility for share buybacks and acquisitions.
TD Cowen analyst Aaron Bilkoski maintained a buy rating and slightly raised his price target to $59 from $58 following the second-quarter results.
Bilkoski expects Viper to maintain one of the strongest production-per-share growth profiles in the royalty sector through 2027. He ranks No. 719 among more than 12,400 analysts tracked by TipRanks, with profitable ratings 57% of the time and an average return of 12%.
