High Wall Road analysts are upbeat on these 3 dividend shares for enhanced returns

The U.S. Federal Reserve lower key rates of interest by 25 foundation factors, decreasing borrowing prices for the third time in 2025. Given the decrease rate of interest backdrop (which reduces the enchantment of fixed-income investments) and a risky inventory market, some buyers would possibly wish to contemplate including dividend shares to their portfolios to make sure secure earnings and improve total returns.

The inventory picks of prime Wall Road analysts may help buyers choose enticing dividend-paying firms.

Listed here are three dividend-paying shares, highlighted by Wall Road’s prime execs, as tracked by TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based mostly on their previous efficiency.

This week’s first dividend decide is Devon Vitality (DVN), an unbiased oil and pure fuel exploration and manufacturing (E&P) firm. Within the third quarter of 2025, Devon returned $401 million to shareholders by way of share repurchases and dividends. The corporate’s fastened quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share (annualized dividend of $0.96 per share) signifies a yield of two.5%.

Just lately, JP Morgan analyst Arun Jayaram upgraded Devon Vitality inventory to purchase from maintain, although he lowered the value goal to $44 from $49. TipRanks’ AI Analyst has an “outperform” ranking on DVN inventory with a value goal of $43.

Jayaram defined that his ranking improve was based mostly on DVN’s compelling valuation in comparison with its friends, supported by free money stream beneficial properties from the corporate’s $1 billion enterprise optimization plan. The 5 star analyst famous that Devon achieved about 60% of its $1 billion purpose in somewhat over half a yr following the plan’s formal rollout.

The analyst famous that Devon’s Delaware Basin nicely productiveness was adversely impacted by the corporate’s concentrate on finishing the next proportion of Wolfcamp B wells. That mentioned, Jayaram expects nicely productiveness to be secure in 2026 and 2027 as a result of a “steadier mixture of secondary zones” in comparison with 2025.

General, Jayaram is bullish on Devon, on condition that it has a top-quality acreage place in a very powerful components of the Delaware Basin, Bakken, and Eagle Ford shale areas. Furthermore, the corporate has the choice to broaden within the STACK and Powder River Basins.

“We consider DVN’s core franchise belongings have the potential to offer a big stock of lower-risk, excessive rate-of-return growth drilling alternatives which are crucial given the depleting nature of an E&P’s asset base,” mentioned Jayaram.

Jayaram ranks No. 655 amongst greater than 10,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His rankings have been worthwhile 59% of the time, delivering a mean return of 10.3%. See Devon Vitality Statistics on TipRanks. 

The following dividend-paying inventory is EOG Assets (EOG), a crude oil and pure fuel exploration and manufacturing firm with reserves within the U.S. and Trinidad. Within the third quarter of 2025, EOG paid $545 million in common dividends and repurchased shares price $440 million. Final month, EOG introduced a quarterly dividend of $1.02 per share, payable on January 30, 2026. At an annualized dividend of $4.08, EOG’s yield stands at 3.7%.

Siebert Williams Shank analyst Gabriele Sorbara reaffirmed a purchase ranking on EOG inventory with a value goal of $150. The inventory additionally scores an “outperform” ranking from TipRanks’ AI Analyst, with a value goal of $127.

Sorbara views EOG as a “premier” large-cap firm with the power to navigate by way of commodity cycles, supported by its strong steadiness sheet and powerful stock. The analyst additionally famous the corporate’s huge free money flow-generating capabilities.

Notably, Sorbara highlighted EOG’s dedication to return at the least 70% of its free money stream to shareholders yearly by way of dividends and share buybacks. The truth is, the vitality firm has the flexibleness to return 100% of free money stream based mostly on its steadiness sheet power.

The 5-star analyst additionally famous EOG’s efforts to leverage superior know-how to seize additional alternatives within the Delaware Basin, with the corporate now figuring out greater than 9 completely different growth targets. Amongst different positives, Sorbara additionally talked about that EOG is monitoring forward of its goal for the primary yr with regard to the $150 million synergies from its Encino acquisition. Extra financial savings are anticipated from elements like improved infrastructure, manufacturing effectivity, and advertising offers by way of EOG’s midstream community.

Sorbara ranks No. 225 amongst greater than 10,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His rankings have been profitable 61% of the time, delivering a mean return of 18.4%. See EOG Assets Possession Construction on TipRanks. 

Lastly, let us take a look at pharmacy chain CVS Well being (CVS). The corporate’s turnaround efforts are serving to it drive improved efficiency in a difficult enterprise backdrop. At its Investor Day occasion on December 9, CVS Well being offered optimistic updates and acknowledged that it expects to realize a mid-teens adjusted earnings per share (EPS) compound annual development fee (CAGR) by way of 2028. At a quarterly dividend of $0.665 per share (annualized dividend of $2.66 per share), CVS inventory affords a yield of three.4%.

Following Investor Day, Mizuho analyst Ann Hynes reiterated a Purchase ranking on CVS inventory and raised her value goal to $95 from $88. “CVS is our prime decide in our protection universe,” mentioned the 5-star analyst, and cited structural enchancment in retail earnings forecast as the rationale for her revised value goal. Curiously, TipRanks’ AI Analyst has a “impartial” ranking on CVS with a value goal of $81.

Hynes famous that CVS’ mid-teens adjusted EPS CAGR goal doesn’t bear in mind any extra share buybacks, which she expects to happen as soon as the corporate achieves its leverage targets, probably by the tip of subsequent yr.

The analyst additionally highlighted the corporate’s efforts to enhance margins of the Healthcare Advantages (HCB) section, which has been beneath strain as a result of a continued rise within the medical loss ratio (MLR). This ratio is anticipated to say no by about 50 foundation factors in 2026 as a result of higher pricing, diminished advantages beneath Medicare Benefit (MA) plans, and the corporate’s choice to exit the Well being Insurance coverage Alternate (HIX) enterprise.

Hynes additionally famous the advance in CVS’ Pharmacy and Shopper Wellness (PCW) section outlook, with the corporate now anticipating flat adjusted working earnings development in comparison with the earlier steering of a mid-single-digit decline. This enchancment is pushed by market share beneficial properties, a greater reimbursement backdrop, and value financial savings.

Hynes ranks No. 733 amongst greater than 10,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. Her rankings have been profitable 60% of the time, delivering a mean return of 8.5%. See CVS Well being Choices Exercise on TipRanks.