Top Wall Street analysts say buy these dividend stocks

Dividend-paying shares are trying much more engaging as traders grapple with a spike in bond yields and a tumultuous inventory market.

With that in thoughts, listed here are 5 engaging dividend shares, based on Wall Avenue’s high specialists on TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts primarily based on their previous efficiency.

First on this week’s checklist is dividend aristocrat Exxon Mobil (XOM). The power large gives a yield of three.4%. The corporate’s dividend hike of three.4% final yr marked the 40^th consecutive yr of annual dividend development. Exxon’s dividends are backed by strong earnings and money flows.

Within the second quarter, the corporate distributed $8 billion to shareholders by way of share repurchases of $4.3 billion and dividends of $3.7 billion. It generated free money circulate of $5 billion within the June quarter.

Mizuho analyst Nitin Kumar reiterated a purchase score on Exxon with a value goal of $139 after attending the corporate’s Product Options Highlight occasion. The analyst mentioned that the corporate is on observe to fulfill its goal of boosting its product options earnings by $10 billion by 2027 in comparison with $6 billion reported in 2019.

“With 1H23 annualized earnings at $11.5 billion, the corporate is midway by way of that concentrate on, with a lot of the profit to this point from price reductions,” famous Kumar.

He expects key strategic tasks which have not too long ago commenced, like Beaumont crude growth and chemical expansions at Baytown, and main tasks deliberate for 2024 to 2027, such because the Singapore Resid improve undertaking, to assist Exxon ship a lot of the focused enchancment in earnings by 2027.

Kumar ranks No.67 amongst greater than 8,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His rankings have been worthwhile 71% of the time, with every delivering a return of 19.8%, on common. (See Exxon Insider Buying and selling Exercise on TipRanks)

Kumar can also be bullish on Coterra Vitality (CTRA), an oil and gasoline exploration and manufacturing firm with main operations within the Permian Basin, Marcellus Shale and Anadarko Basin. Earlier this yr, the corporate elevated its annual base dividend by 33% to 80 cents per share.

The corporate’s shareholder return technique is to distribute 50% of its free money circulate through base dividends, share repurchases and variable dividends. CTRA realigned its return technique for 2023 to provide significance to buybacks over variable dividends. Within the first six months of 2023, it paid $303 million by way of dividends and made share repurchases value $325 million, with the whole shareholder return representing 94% of free money circulate.

Final month, Kumar hosted investor conferences with CTRA’s administration and mentioned the important thing takeaway was that the corporate is assured about delivering strong returns on funding in most commodity value eventualities. Specifically, administration highlighted the flexibleness and optionality of CTRA’s asset base and capital allocation technique.

“In our opinion, the frequent thread between their selections is the potential to outperform the three-year (2023-25) plan that requires ~5%+ oil development for ~$2.0-2.1bn of complete capex – both by way of much less capex or extra volumes – however and not using a degradation of capital efficiencies,” mentioned Kumar.

Calling CTRA his high decide, Kumar reiterated a purchase score on the inventory with a value goal of $42. (See Coterra Monetary Statements on TipRanks)

Subsequent on this week’s dividend checklist is Brookfield Infrastructure (BIP), which operates property within the utilities, transport, midstream, and knowledge sectors. BIP paid a quarterly dividend of $0.3825 per unit on Sept. 29, which displays a 6% year-over-year improve in its distribution. The corporate gives a dividend yield of 5.5%.

At an investor day occasion held final month, administration mentioned its aim to ship greater than 12% development in funds from its operations per unit as a part of its 1- to 3-year outlook.

RBC Capital analyst Robert Kwan, who ranks 194th out of over 8,500 analysts tracked on TipRanks, famous that the corporate’s focused FFO/unit development is predicted to be partially pushed by its vital natural capital backlog, primarily within the knowledge heart enterprise.

The analyst additionally thinks that given the capital constraints within the present backdrop because of a slowdown in fundraising exercise, an entity like Brookfield has the potential to boost returns by investing capital above its 12% to fifteen% fairness inner price of return (IRR) goal vary.   

“We imagine that the unit value weak point is a pretty entry level primarily based on a 5% present distribution yield with potential for double-digit underlying FFO/unit development,” mentioned Kwan.

Kwan reaffirmed a purchase score on BIP inventory with a value goal of $45. His rankings have been worthwhile 64% of the time, with every delivering a mean return of 10.8%. (See BIP Inventory Chart on TipRanks)

One other RBC Capital analyst, Shelby Tucker, is bullish on utility inventory American Electrical Energy (AEP). On Oct. 2, the corporate named Charles E. Zebula as its new chief monetary officer and reaffirmed its 2023 working earnings outlook of $5.19 to $5.39 per share and long-term working earnings development price of 6% to 7%.

AEP paid a quarterly dividend of 83 cents per share on Sept. 8, its 453rd consecutive quarterly money dividend. It gives a dividend yield of 4.6%.

Lately, Tucker lowered the worth goal for AEP to $90 from $103 to replicate a excessive curiosity surroundings however reiterated a purchase score. The analyst mentioned that the inventory stays one of many agency’s high picks in 2023 and one of many best-in-class utilities.

The analyst thinks that AEP’s $40 billion regulated capital spending plan, specializing in transmission deployment, gives sturdy resiliency towards a difficult macro backdrop and value inflation. Tucker additionally expects the corporate to profit from the incentives beneath the Inflation Discount Act.  

“We imagine AEP deserves a slight premium on valuations from fast decarbonization of its technology fleet and sturdy investments in regulated renewable,” the analyst mentioned.

Tucker holds the 367th place amongst greater than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks. Furthermore, 61% of his rankings have been worthwhile, with every producing a mean return of 8.1%. (See AEP Blogger Opinions & Sentiment on TipRanks) 

Darden Eating places (DRI), the proprietor of Olive Backyard and different common manufacturers, delivered better-than-anticipated fiscal first-quarter outcomes, regardless of the pullback in client spending affecting the corporate’s advantageous eating phase.   

The corporate paid $159 million in dividends and deployed about $143 million towards share repurchases within the fiscal first quarter. With a quarterly dividend of $1.31 per share (annualized dividend of $5.24), DRI inventory’s dividend yield is 3.7%.       

Following the outcomes, JPMorgan analyst John Ivankoe reiterated a purchase score on DRI inventory however lowered the worth goal to $174 from $176.

The analyst famous that the corporate’s same-store gross sales development of 5% surpassed his estimate of 4.4%, with its Olive Backyard and LongHorn Steakhouse chains offsetting the softness in advantageous eating. Additionally, DRI’s same-store gross sales development outperformed the trade common of 0.9%.       

“Lastly, the ten%+ TSR [total shareholder return] (EPS + annual dividend yield) stays intact for F24/25,” mentioned Ivankoe.  

Ivankoe holds the 854th place amongst greater than 8,500 analysts tracked on TipRanks. Furthermore, 60% of his rankings have been worthwhile, with every producing a mean return of seven.1%. (See DRI Hedge Fund Buying and selling Exercise on TipRanks)