Top Wall Street analysts pick these 3 stocks for attractive dividends

Core Viewpoint - The stock market is experiencing volatility due to discussions around tariffs, the emergence of China's DeepSeek, and earnings reports from key companies, prompting investors to consider adding dividend stocks for stable returns [1] Group 1: IBM - IBM reported strong fourth-quarter earnings, driven by solid demand in its Software segment, particularly in artificial intelligence and the Red Hat Linux operating system [3][4] - The company returned $1.5 billion to shareholders through dividends in Q4, with a dividend yield of 2.6$275 from $240, citing revenue growth from the Software business and potential improvements in the Consulting segment by 2025 [4][5] Group 2: Verizon - Verizon achieved strong fourth-quarter results, with the best quarterly postpaid phone gross additions in five years, and paid a quarterly dividend of over 67 cents per share, offering a dividend yield of 6.8$55, highlighting growth in mobile and broadband subscribers as key revenue drivers [8][11] - Feinseth noted that Verizon is well-positioned to benefit from 5G adoption and AI-led growth in mobile edge computing, with a solid track record in integrating AI enhancements [9][10] Group 3: EPR Properties - EPR Properties, a REIT focused on experiential properties, offers a dividend yield of 7.2% and is expected to benefit from a rebound in box office revenues [12][14] - Analyst Michael Carroll reiterated a buy rating with a price target of $50, emphasizing a healthy tenant base and consumer resilience post-COVID-19 [13][14] - EPR anticipates a significant increase in wide releases by studios in 2025, which is expected to drive further growth [14]