When market volatility kicks up, dividend stocks become everyone's best friend. There's something reassuring about companies with strong free cash flow that consistently share the wealth with shareholders, especially when everything else feels uncertain.
The utilities sector has long been a favorite hunting ground for dividend seekers, and right now, three companies are catching the eye of Wall Street's most accurate analysts. These aren't just any analysts throwing darts at a board—these are the folks with proven track records of getting their calls right.
Let's break down what the experts are saying about three utility stocks offering dividend yields above 4%.
Edison International (EIX)
Dividend Yield: 5.70%
Edison International is serving up the highest dividend yield of this trio at 5.70%, which is nothing to sneeze at in today's rate environment. The California-based utility holding company has attracted recent attention from two highly accurate analysts.
Barclays analyst Nicholas Campanella, who boasts a 68% accuracy rate, maintained his Overweight rating on October 29, 2025, though he trimmed his price target slightly from $69 to $68. That's not exactly a vote of no confidence—an Overweight rating still means he thinks the stock will outperform.
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analyst Shahriar Pourreza initiated coverage on October 28, 2025, with an Equal-Weight rating and a $56 price target. Pourreza carries a 70% accuracy rate, making him one of the more reliable voices on the Street.
The company posted upbeat quarterly results on October 28, which likely provided fresh ammunition for analysts reassessing their positions.
Avista Corp (AVA)
Dividend Yield: 4.80%
Avista Corp comes in with a respectable 4.80% dividend yield. The energy company has been on the receiving end of mixed analyst commentary, though the overall picture remains neutral to positive.
That same Wells Fargo analyst, Shahriar Pourreza, initiated coverage on October 28, 2025, with an Equal-Weight rating and a $38 price target. Equal-Weight essentially means he sees the stock performing in line with the broader market—not a home run call, but not a red flag either.
Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith, who carries a 65% accuracy rate, maintained his Hold rating on October 22, 2025, while actually raising his price target from $40 to $41. A price target increase alongside a Hold rating suggests cautious optimism—the fundamentals might be improving, but not enough to get aggressive.
Avista reported mixed third-quarter results on November 5, giving investors something to chew on as they evaluate the company's trajectory.
Eversource Energy (ES)
Dividend Yield: 4.74%
Eversource Energy rounds out the group with a 4.74% dividend yield. The New England utility has seen some recent analyst downgrades, though the dividend yield remains attractive for income-focused investors.
Scotiabank analyst Andrew Weisel, with a 69% accuracy rate, maintained his Sector Underperform rating on November 20, 2025, while cutting his price target from $64 to $63. Underperform ratings are never fun to see, but the modest price target cut suggests the pessimism might already be baked in.
More notably, Wells Fargo's Pourreza downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight on November 20, 2025, slashing his price target from $79 to $63. That's a significant revision and worth paying attention to given his track record.
Interestingly, Eversource reported better-than-expected quarterly results on November 4, so the recent analyst caution appears to be forward-looking rather than a reaction to disappointing historical performance.
The Dividend Appeal
All three of these utilities offer something valuable in uncertain times: steady income. Companies in the utilities sector typically generate predictable cash flows thanks to their regulated business models, which makes them well-suited to return capital to shareholders through dividends.
The analyst ratings vary across these three stocks, reflecting different outlooks on each company's prospects. But the common thread is that Wall Street's most accurate analysts are paying close attention, and the dividend yields remain compelling enough to merit consideration from income-focused investors looking for stability in their portfolios.