Investors love dividend stocks. Not only do they provide dependable income, but they also give investors a great opportunity for solid total return. Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends and distributions realized over time. In other words, the total return on an investment or a portfolio includes both dividend income and stock appreciation.
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We screened our 24/7 Wall St. research database looking S&P 500 stocks that were rated Buy at major Wall Street firms and that came with among the highest dividends in the venerable index. In addition, we focused on seven very timely stocks to own for the balance of the first quarter and the rest of 2023.

It is important to remember that no single analyst report should be used as a sole basis for any buying or selling decision.

Altria

This maker of tobacco products offers value investors a great entry point now as it has been hit as cigarette sales have slowed. Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) is the parent company of Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), UST (smokeless), John Middleton (cigars), Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Philip Morris Capital. PMUSA enjoys a 51% share of the U.S. cigarette market, led by its top cigarette brand Marlboro.

Altria also owns over 10% of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, which some feel is worth more than $10 billion and may be a segment of the company that could be sold. Altria posted outstanding fourth-quarter results and also announced a shareholder-friendly $1 billion stock buyback plan. Furthermore, the company has increased its dividend for 51 consecutive years.

Shareholders receive an 8.03% dividend. Jefferies has a $58 target on Altria stock, and the consensus target is $49.65 The shares closed on Thursday at $46.74.

IBM

This blue chip giant still offers investors an incredibly solid entry point. International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) is a leading provider of enterprise solutions, offering a broad portfolio of IT hardware, business and IT services and a full suite of software solutions. The company integrates its hardware products with its software and services offerings in order to provide high-value solutions.

IBM operates in five major segments: Cognitive Solutions, Global Business Services, Technology Services & Cloud Platforms, Systems, and Global Financing. The analysts have cited the company’s potential in the public cloud as a reason for their positive outlook going forward.
The company posted a strong fourth quarter, with the cloud and Red Hat (the software giant the firm bought in 2019) proving to be big. Red Hat’s open hybrid cloud technologies are now paired with the unmatched scale and depth of IBM’s innovation and industry expertise and sales leadership in more than 175 countries.

Investors receive a 5.15% dividend. Stifel’s $158 price objective compares with the $146.76 consensus target and a $126.16 closing share price for IBM stock on Thursday.
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Kinder Morgan

This is one of the top energy stocks and remains a favorite across Wall Street. Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI) operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America.

The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids (NGLs) fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction and storage facilities.

The Products Pipelines segment owns and operates refined petroleum products and crude oil and condensate pipelines, as well as associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix facilities.

The Terminals segment owns or operates liquids and bulk terminals that store and handle various commodities, including gasoline, diesel fuel, chemicals, ethanol, metals and petroleum coke. It also owns tankers.

The CO2 segment produces, transports and markets CO2 to recover and produce crude oil from mature oil fields, and it owns interests in or operates oil fields and gasoline processing plants, as well as operates a crude oil pipeline system in West Texas. It owns and operates approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 144 terminals.

Kinder Morgan stock comes with a 6.41% dividend. The price objective at Bernstein is $22, while the consensus target is $20.34. Thursday’s closing print was $17.14.

Newell Brands

This top consumer goods stock is a safe play for investors worried about a toppy market, and it has backed up big recently. Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: NWL) is a manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with six reporting segments: Writing (Sharpie, Paper Mate, Waterman, Parker), Home Solutions (Rubbermaid, Calphalon, Goody), Tools (Irwin, Lenox), Commercial Products (Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Rubbermaid Healthcare), Baby & Parenting (Graco, Aprica) and Jarden (Yankee Candle, Jostens, Oster, Sunbeam, Mr. Coffee, K2, Marmot, Rawlings, Coleman, First Alert and many more).
Consumer staples stocks like Newell tend to be solid ideas in times of inflation and rising rates. In 2021, the company’s cash distributions to shareholders were close to $400 million. During the period, Newell produced roughly $600 million, which included an abnormally large $350 million in cash spent on an inventory buildup, which the company attributed to preparation for sales growth. With a dividend payout ratio below 70%, Newell should continue to easily support the large and tempting dividend.

The dividend yield is 7.06%. The analysts at Raymond James have a Strong Buy rating and a $17 price target. Newell Brands stock has a consensus target of $16.09, and shares closed on Thursday at $13.02.
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Pioneer Natural Resources

Many Wall Street analysts love this stock as a pure crude oil play, and the company also employs a variable dividend strategy. Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (NYSE: PXD) operates as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company in the United States.

The company explores for, develops and produces oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and natural gas. It has operations in the Midland Basin in West Texas. As of December 31, 2021, the company had proved undeveloped reserves and proved developed non-producing reserves of 130 million barrels of oil, 92 million barrels of NGLs and 462 billion cubic feet of gas, and it owned interests in 11 gas processing plants.

Pioneer production services are supported by 100 well-servicing rigs, more than 100 cased-hole, open-hole and offshore wireline units, and a range of advanced coiled tubing units.

The company is a huge player in the Permian basin and the Eagle Ford in Texas, and it owns more than 20,000 locations in the world’s second-largest oil reservoir in the Midland Basin. With a stellar balance sheet, the company is poised to remain a top player in the Permian, as it expects to deliver solid production growth going forward.

Investors receive a 13.13% dividend, which again may vary from quarter to quarter. Pioneer Natural Resources stock has a $263 target price at Goldman Sachs. The consensus target is $266.32, and Thursday’s close was at $202.02.

Verizon Communications

This top telecommunications stock offers tremendous value at current levels. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is one of the largest U.S. telecom companies. It provides wireless and wireline service to retail, enterprise and wholesale customers.
The company’s wireless network serves approximately 120 million mobile connections with 115 million postpaid subscribers. Verizon’s wireline business has undergone a period of secular decline due to wireless substitution and cable competition.
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Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and it delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

Verizon Communications stock investors receive a 7.14% dividend. Cowen has set its price objective at $49, above the $44.84 consensus target. Thursday’s closing share price was $36.55.

VFC

This proverbial “off-the-radar” idea can be purchased and held forever, as it makes name-brand popular clothing. V.F. Corp. (NYSE: VFC) engages in the design, procurement, marketing and distribution of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and related products for men, women and children in the Americas, Europe and elsewhere.

The company offers outdoor, merino wool and other natural fibers-based, lifestyle and casual apparel; footwear; equipment; accessories; outdoor-inspired, performance-based, youth culture/action sports-inspired, streetwear and protective work footwear; handbags, luggage, backpacks and totes; and work and work-inspired lifestyle apparel and footwear.

VFC provides its products under the North Face, Timberland, Smartwool, Icebreaker, Altra, Vans, Supreme, Kipling, Napapijri, Eastpak, JanSport, Dickies and Timberland PRO brand names. The company sells its products primarily to specialty stores, department stores, national chains and mass merchants, as well as through direct-to-consumer operations, including retail stores, concession retail stores and e-commerce sites and other digital platforms.

Shareholders receive a 5.22% dividend. The $30 Stifel target price for VFC stock is in line with the $29.97 consensus target. Thursday’s close was at $23.01.

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These seven top companies have incredible cash flow, and their stocks are trading well below their 52-week highs and are well positioned for this year. Plus adding energy, defensive consumer products, real estate, a REIT specialty stock, cheap technology and more all make sense with a market that looks ready to implode if rates continue higher.

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