As investors weigh the uncertainties of the Middle East situation, rising interest rates, and concerns regarding artificial intelligence (AI) trading, the stock market remains volatile.

Against such volatile backgrounds, investors seeking stable income streams can enhance their portfolios by adding dividend-paying stocks. In this regard, following the advice of top Wall Street analysts can help in identifying dividend-paying stocks that are financially sound and attractive.

The following are three dividend-paying stocks that are tracked by TipRanks and have been prominently mentioned by top professionals on Wall Street.

Chevron

The oil and gas giant Chevron (Chevron, CVX) is the first stock to be selected. Earlier this month, the company distributed a quarterly dividend of $1.78 per share. Calculated at an annualized rate of $7.12 per share, CVX has a dividend yield of about 3.5%.

After meeting with the company's senior management, Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reiterated his buy rating on CVX and raised the target price from $225 to $240. One of the key points emphasized by Mehta is that Chevron is establishing a number of promising international exploration projects in Latin America, the Middle East, West Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean region. In particular, regarding Venezuela, Chevron expects to double its total production from the current approximately 280,000 barrels per day to over 600,000 barrels per day by 2031 through three joint ventures.

Mehta also noted that Chevron is working hard to deploy new technologies in its shale and tight oil operations. The company is focused on improving productivity and efficiency in order to maximize free cash flow, he added.

Manual lifting optimization, AI, machine learning, and advanced chemical treatments are expected to increase the recovery rate of new wells by about 10%. As a result, the unit capital expenditure for the US shale industry is projected to decrease by 25% in 2026, and the total expenditure in the Permian Basin is expected to fall below $3.5 billion.

Mehta It also indicates that Chevron views electricity as a growth opportunity and is leveraging its portfolio of natural gas assets in the United States, key equipment, and partnerships to meet the rising demand. Notably, Chevron recently signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft (Microsoft, MSFT) to supply power for 2.67 gigawatts of post-meter capacity. The project, named Kilby, is expected to begin supplying power in 2028 and will generate returns in the tens of millions, along with long-term cash flows.

Among the more than 12,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks, Mehta ranks 536th. His ratings have resulted in profits 61% of the time, with an average return rate of 11.3%.

Enterprise Products Partners

Enterprise Products Partners ( EPD ) is a limited partnership that provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids ( NGL ), crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. The company distributes a quarterly cash dividend of 56 cents per ordinary unit, which, when calculated on an annualized basis, amounts to $2.24 per unit, resulting in a yield of approximately 6% for EPD.

After a recent call with the company, analyst RBC Capital Elvira Scotto reiterated her buy rating for EPD, with a target price of $42. She slightly lowered her estimates for the second half of 2026, citing that profit margins and sales volumes are returning to normal, although demand remains strong.

This five-star analyst expects that due to seasonal normalization and a return to normal after the high price differences in the first half of the year, there will be a decline on a month-on-month basis. However, she still anticipates that EPD will once again deliver a solid quarterly performance (in the third quarter of 2026) and enter 2027 in a favorable position. Before the third-quarter financial report, Scotto predicts that investors will focus on the sustainability of export demand, EPD's ability to profit from spot freight sales, as well as the increase in production in the Permian Basin.

Scotto continues to anticipate that in the second half of 2026, it will repurchase $150 million in ordinary units each quarter. She expects that as capital expenditures decrease and free cash flow improves, the amount repurchased each quarter in 2027 will increase to $200 million.

Overall, Scotto holds an optimistic attitude towards EPD, considering it to be a core MLP position that combines both offensive and defensive qualities. She praises the diversified asset base of EPD for ensuring stable cash flows. "In addition, the partnership's multi-year organic growth reserves help to enhance the visibility of long-term distribution growth," Scotto said.

Among the more than 12,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks, Scotto ranks 199th. Her ratings are successful 67% of the time, with an average return rate of 15.9%.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners ( BIP ) operates a diversified portfolio of high-quality utilities, transportation, midstream, and data assets. The company announced a quarterly distribution of 45.5 cents per unit, with payment due on September 29th. Calculated at an annualized rate of 1.82 dollars per unit, BIP has a yield of 5.2%.

Recently, analyst BMO Capital Devin Dodge reiterated his buy rating on Brookfield Infrastructure, with a target price of $47. The analyst mentioned that the growth visibility of BIP has improved and believes that the company's simplification efforts could act as a catalyst.

"Considering the benefits of the proposed company simplification, valuation multiples that are significantly lower than historical levels, and attractive yields, we believe that BIP offers an attractive risk-return ratio and remains our preferred target," said Dodge.

As more organic growth projects advance in the pipeline, along with new partnership investment opportunities, Dodge believes that BIP has a clearer vision of the direction in which capital should be invested. This should support continued double-digit growth for each unit of operating cash flow ( FFO ).

Dodge indicates that the semiconductor wafer factory jointly developed by BIP and Intel (Intel, INTC) is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026, with return rates expected to improve in the fourth quarter of 2026. Dodge predicts that this joint venture will boost FFO by 300 to 400 basis points.

Among the more than 12,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks, Dodge ranks 476th. His ratings have resulted in profits 68% of the time, with an average return rate of 13.5%.