Top Street analysts prefer these dividend stocks for steady income

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are keeping global markets on edge, but investors can add some stability to their portfolios by buying dividend-paying stocks.

Considering the number of companies paying dividends, choosing the right stocks can be difficult. Investors can follow ratings from top Wall Street analysts, who give ratings after consistently analyzing a company’s cash flow and dividend-paying ability.

Here are three dividend-paying stocks highlighted by Wall Street’s top pros, tracked by TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.

Enterprise Product Partners

This week’s first pick Enterprise Product Partners (EPD) is a publicly traded partnership that provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs (natural gas liquids), crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. With a quarterly distribution of 55 cents per unit ($2.20 per unit on an annualized basis), EPD stock offers a dividend yield of approximately 5.9%.

Ahead of the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings, RBC Capital analyst Elvira Scotto reiterated her buy rating on EPD shares and slightly increased her buy rating. price target $42 At $40, reflecting modestly elevated forecasts and a valuation multiple, given the potential for higher commodity prices.

The five-star analyst expects negative impacts from rising commodity prices due to tensions in the Middle East to have a slight impact on EPD’s first quarter 2026 results, given that prices rise later in the quarter. Scotto added that the forward curve for West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) is increasing, supporting a constructive backdrop for 2026.

The analyst slightly raised its first-quarter 2026 adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) forecast to $2.575 billion from $2.541 billion and believes EPD could be bullish on its forecasts if it captures additional margin from higher commodity prices and spot cargoes.

“We continue to expect an increase with the launch of growth projects becoming operational in 2027,” Scotto said. Overall, the analyst is positive on EPD stock, viewing it as a basic MLP (master limited partnership) with both offensive and defensive characteristics.

Scotto is ranked #68 out of more than 12,100 analysts followed by TipRanks. Their ratings were successful 72% of the time, with an average return of 16.3%. See EPD Ownership Structure on TipRanks.

Chord Energy

Chord Energy (CHRD) is an independent exploration and production company with assets primarily in the Williston Basin. The company recently paid a base dividend of $1.30 (annual dividend is $5.20). CHRD stock offers a 3.9% dividend yield.

Recently, Morgan Stanley analyst Devin McDermott upgraded Chord Energy shares to a buy from hold, boosting his holdings. price target $168 “CHRD is a key beneficiary of higher oil prices, with a good sweep relative to its FCF peers,” he says, starting at $114 [free cash flow] and the shareholders return.”

McDermott emphasized that CHRD delivers strong free cash flow across a range of oil prices. Specifically, the five-star analyst noted that with WTI at $80 per barrel, Chord Energy offers a free cash flow yield of 18%, compared to the oil exploration and production group average of 12%, and a shareholder return yield of 12%, compared to the peer average of 6%.

McDermott expects CHRD to continue to see capital efficiency gains and a positive rate of change in its longer subsidiary program. Specifically, for 2026, the company expects 80% of Chord’s planned wells to be three to four miles lateral, compared to about 45% last year. Chord’s three- and four-mile wells represent about 80% of the long-term inventory, he added.

While Chord Energy’s net leverage increased after Acquisition of XTO Bakken, McDermott expects WTI to return below 0.5x at $80 by the end of 2026.

McDermott is ranked #384 out of more than 12,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. It did well in the ratings 62% of the time and delivered an average return of 12.3%. See Chord Energy Statistics on TipRanks.

Devon Energy

McDermott is also on the rise Devon Energy (DVN) is an oil and gas producer with a diversified multi-basin portfolio with a strong acreage position in the Delaware Basin. Devon in February 2026 announced merger with Coterra Energy (CTRA) plans to create a larger oil company with a dominant position in the Permian Basin.

Devon Energy plans to increase its quarterly dividend by 31% to approximately 32 cents per share upon completion of the merger. In the first quarter, Devon paid a dividend of 24 cents per share. With an annual dividend rate of 96 cents per share, DVN shares offer a dividend yield of approximately 2%.

McDermott reiterated his buy rating on Devon Energy shares and upgraded them in his latest research report price target $59 At $46, reflecting higher commodity prices.

Devon’s merger with Coterra would create the second-largest independent U.S. exploration and production company by total volume and a leading shale oil operator, the analyst said. The deal is expected to add approximately 17% to Devon’s free cash flow per share at $60 WTI and $3.75 HH (Henry Hub natural gas).

McDermott added that Devon’s business optimization plan targets a $1 billion increase in annual pre-tax free cash flow by the end of 2026, with 85% of this already achieved by the fourth quarter of 2025.

At $80 WTI, the top-rated analyst expects Devon to generate a free cash flow yield of 18% and a total return yield of 12%, above the oil exploration and production averages of 12% and 6% respectively. See Devon Energy Technical Analysis on TipRanks.