A signature appeared on September 30, 2024, on the exterior of a Verizon store located in Daly City, California.
As the stock market zeroes in on crucial revenue reports and tariff discussions, investors are on the lookout for dependable dividend stocks amidst the ongoing financial fluctuation.
This is where the expertise of top analysts on Wall Street becomes invaluable, offering insights that can guide investors toward firms with solid fundamentals and a history of steady dividend payments.
Here are three dividend-paying stocks that have garnered attention from leading professionals, based on evaluations tracked by Tipranks, which ranks analysts according to their historical accuracy.
EOG Resources
EOG Resources, an oil and gas exploration and production company, is featured on this week’s list. Recently, the company announced plans to acquire Encino Acquisition Partners for $5.6 billion. This acquisition is expected to bolster its financial capacity, allowing EOG to raise its quarterly dividend by 5% on October 31, resulting in an annual payout of $4.08 per share, leading to a dividend yield of 3.4%.
In advance of EOG’s second-quarter earnings call set for August 8, analyst Gabriele Solbara of Williams Shank reiterated his buy rating on EOG shares, projecting a price target of $155. In comparison, Tipranks analysts have rated EOG as “outperform” with a price target of $138. Solbara expects strong results on both operational and financial fronts, highlighting the significance of EOG’s expansion in the Utica Shale region through the EAP acquisition.
According to Solbara, EOG is positioned defensively in the current market environment. Analysts are optimistic about EOG’s ability to return substantial capital to shareholders, projecting at least 70% of free cash flow will be allocated toward dividends and stock buybacks. They foresee a buyback of $450 million in the second quarter of 2025, estimating total capital returns of $976.6 million.
Solbara’s performance ranks him 178th among over 9,800 analysts tracked by Tipranks, with a profitable rating 55% of the time and an average return of 22.5%.
Williams Company
Moving on to Williams Company, known for energy infrastructure, this company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, translating to an annual dividend of $2.00 and a yield of 3.5%.
With the second-quarter results anticipated early in August, analyst Elvira Scotto from RBC Capital affirmed a buy rating for WMB with a price target of $63. Interestingly, Tipranks’ AI analysts also set a price target of $63, rating WMB as “neutral.” Scotto adjusted her Q2 forecasts based on internal discussions, seasonal trends, and updated market prices.
Scotto expresses concern about potential challenges in WMB’s upstream operations. She expects subdued contributions from marketing in the second quarter due to seasonal factors and increased storage costs. Nevertheless, she highlights the strong growth prospects for WMB, backed by a solid project backlog with favorable return ratios achievable by 2030.
Despite some recent declines, Scotto believes WMB is well-positioned to benefit from rising natural gas demands, emphasizing its strategic location.
Ranking 72nd among thousands of analysts, Scotto has a successful forecast rate of 67%, with an average return of 18.5%.
Verizon Communications
Lastly, let’s examine Verizon Communications, which has shown impressive results for the second quarter of 2025. The company has increased its lower annual profit guidance, driven by robust demand for premium plans and adjustments due to recent tax reforms.
Verizon is offering a quarterly dividend of $0.6775, payable on August 1, which yields an annual dividend of $2.71 and a 6.3% yield.
In light of Q2 results, analyst Michael Rollins reiterated his buy ratings on Verizon, projecting a price target of $48, while Tipranks’ AI analysts also rated Verizon as “outperform,” with a price target of $49. Rollins noted an increase in full-year EBITDA and EPS guidance as a positive outcome of Verizon’s robust performance.
He pointed out mixed performance indicators reflecting a competitive landscape but expects continued year-over-year growth in postpaid phone subscriptions.
Rollins acknowledges Verizon’s disciplined strategy in subscriber acquisition, which may affect short-term metrics but supports long-term stability. Despite some promotional costs, he remains optimistic about Verizon’s potential for sustained financial growth.
Ranked 276th among over 9,800 analysts tracked by Tipranks, Rollins has achieved a success rate of 68%, with an average return of 12.6%.
