Top Wall Street analysts suggest these 3 dividend stocks for enhanced total returns

The deal with dividend shares is rising, because the U.S. Federal Reserve introduced one other price minimize. Traders can contemplate shares that supply dividends and now have the potential to drive capital appreciation, enhancing the entire return.

On this regard, suggestions of prime Wall Avenue analysts will help us determine shares which have strong upside and pay enticing dividends. The inventory picks of those consultants are backed by in-depth evaluation of an organization’s development alternatives and talent to pay dividends constantly.

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

We begin this week with Valero Vitality (VLO), a producer of petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical merchandise. In Q3 2025, Valero returned $1.3 billion to stockholders through $351 million in dividends and $931 million in share repurchases. On Oct. 29, Valero declared a quarterly dividend of $1.13 per share. At an annualized dividend of $4.52, VLO inventory presents a yield of two.7%.

Valero Vitality just lately reported upbeat Q3 outcomes, backed by sturdy refining margins. Conserving in view the Q3 efficiency, sturdy refining outlook, and the corporate’s enticing capital returns technique, Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reiterated a purchase ranking on VLO inventory and raised his worth goal to $197 from $180.

“We proceed to view VLO as a key beneficiary of our extra constructive refining outlook, given the corporate’s stability sheet energy, low-cost operations, and operational execution,” mentioned Mehta.

The 5-star analyst famous that throughout the third-quarter earnings name, administration mentioned a constructive refining outlook, pushed by restricted web capability additions and widening crude differentials. Mehta additionally highlighted that Valero’s non-refining companies carried out higher than Goldman Sachs’ expectations. Trying forward, Mehta believes that low inventories, resilient demand, and restricted web refining capability additions assist tighter provide/demand expectations for 2026.

Specifically, Mehta famous administration’s continued deal with capital returns and dedication to allocating extra free money circulate to shareholders. The analyst expects a stronger refining backdrop to contribute to significant free money circulate era, which might assist about $4.6 billion of capital returns in 2026, implying a 9% capital return yield.

Mehta ranks No. 812 amongst greater than 10,000 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His rankings have been worthwhile 58% of the time, delivering a mean return of 8.7%.

We transfer on to the following dividend-paying inventory, Albertsons Corporations (ACI). The meals and drug retailer just lately introduced upbeat outcomes for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, pushed by sturdy pharmacy gross sales and digital enterprise. On October 14, Albertsons introduced a quarterly dividend of 15 cents per share, payable on November 7. At an annualized dividend of 60 cents per share, ACI inventory presents a dividend yield of three.3%.

Following Albertsons’ better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter outcomes, Tigress Monetary analyst Ivan Feinseth reiterated a purchase ranking on ACI inventory and modestly elevated his worth goal to $29 from $28. The analyst is bullish on Albertsons as the corporate “accelerates development via AI-powered digital gross sales, increasing loyalty ecosystem, and high-margin retail media platform.”

Feinseth highlighted that Albertsons is reworking from a standard grocery operator into an information‑pushed, digitally built-in meals and wellness platform. This modification is being fueled by the corporate’s e-commerce growth, loyalty integration, and quickly increasing Albertsons Media Collective promoting community, which Feinseth believes is well-positioned to turn into one among its most worthwhile long-term development engines.

The highest-rated analyst identified that ACI’s For U loyalty program is driving each digital engagement and spending development. Actually, For U membership elevated greater than 13% year-over-year in Q2 FY25, reaching over 48 million energetic members. The rising member base boosts ACI’s enterprise as members transact extra continuously, spend extra, and are more and more utilizing cross-channel rewards, famous Feinseth.

Moreover, Feinseth highlighted that Albertsons is enhancing shareholder returns via ongoing dividend will increase and share repurchases, together with the just lately introduced extra $750 million accelerated share repurchase authorization. He expects ACI inventory to ship a complete return of near 50%, together with dividends.

Feinseth ranks No. 296 amongst greater than 10,000 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His rankings have been worthwhile 62% of the time, delivering a mean return of 14.2%.

Lastly, let’s take a look at vitality infrastructure supplier Williams Corporations (WMB). On October 28, Williams introduced a quarterly money dividend of fifty cents per share, payable on December 29, 2025, and reflecting a 5.3% year-over-year improve. At an annualized dividend of $2 per share, WMB inventory presents a 3.5% yield.

Forward of Williams’ Q3 outcomes scheduled after the market closes on November 3, RBC Capital analyst Elvira Scotto reiterated a purchase ranking on WMB inventory with a worth forecast of $75. In a preview on the Q3 outcomes of the businesses within the U.S. midstream area, Scotto acknowledged that Williams and Targa Assets (TRGP) are her favored names into the earnings.

Scotto famous that the secular tailwind for pure gasoline resulting from rising energy demand for electrification and synthetic intelligence (AI)/information heart development is driving the necessity for extra vitality infrastructure. The 5-star analyst believes that among the many shares inside her protection, “WMB is finest positioned to learn given its gasoline transmission asset footprint and its Energy Innovation tasks.”

Moreover, Scotto expects WMB to ship a CAGR (compound annual development price) of about 10% in its EBITDA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) from 2025 via 2030. The analyst appears ahead to extra info on WMB’s just lately introduced Energy Innovation tasks and any new tasks. Scotto expects an uptick in Q3 2025 numbers on a quarter-over-quarter foundation throughout all enterprise segments, with Transmission, Gulf, and Energy driving the largest absolute improve.

Scotto views WMB’s February analyst day as the following catalyst for the inventory. The analyst expects WMB to extend its EBITDA development goal from the vary of 5% to 7% to excessive single digits or extra.

Scotto ranks No. 270 amongst greater than 10,000 analysts tracked by TipRanks. Her rankings have been profitable 64% of the time, delivering a mean return of 13.7%.