Marketdash
Back to News

Top Wall Street Analysts Weigh In on Three Energy Stocks Paying Over 9% Dividends

MarketDash Editorial Team
17 hours ago
When markets get choppy, dividend-paying energy stocks look increasingly attractive. Here's what Wall Street's most accurate analysts are saying about three companies offering yields above 9%, complete with their latest ratings, price targets, and why these stocks matter for income-focused investors.

When market volatility kicks up, investors often look for companies that offer something tangible beyond stock price appreciation. Enter dividend-paying stocks, particularly those with substantial free cash flows and generous shareholder payouts. In the energy sector right now, three companies are catching attention with dividend yields that would make any income investor take notice.

Below, we're breaking down what Wall Street's most accurate analysts are saying about three energy stocks sporting dividend yields above 9%. These ratings come from analysts with proven track records, sorted by their historical accuracy in calling stock movements.

Evolution Petroleum Corp

Evolution Petroleum Corp (EPM) is leading the pack with an impressive dividend yield of 11.76%, though the company has seen mixed analyst sentiment recently.

  • Dividend Yield: 11.76%
  • Roth Capital analyst Nick Pope reinstated Evolution Petroleum with a Buy rating and set a $5 price target on Dec. 4, 2025. Pope's track record shows a 63% accuracy rate.
  • Northland Capital Markets analyst Bobby Brooks took a more cautious approach, maintaining a Market Perform rating while reducing the price target from $5 to $4.50 on May 20, 2025. Brooks brings a stronger 76% accuracy rate to his calls.
  • Recent News: The company posted disappointing quarterly sales on Nov. 11, which may explain the divergence in analyst opinions.

That double-digit yield certainly grabs attention, but the recent sales miss and mixed analyst ratings suggest investors should dig deeper before jumping in based on yield alone.

Vitesse Energy Inc

Vitesse Energy Inc (VTS) offers a still-substantial 10.14% dividend yield, with analyst opinions spanning from neutral to bullish.

  • Dividend Yield: 10.14%
  • Evercore ISI Group analyst Chris Baker maintained an In-Line (neutral) rating while trimming the price target from $22 to $20 on Oct. 6, 2025. Baker's accuracy rate sits at 69%.
  • Roth MKM analyst John White showed more optimism, maintaining his Buy rating and actually raising the price target from $30.50 to $33 on April 2, 2025. White's accuracy rate stands at 63%.
  • Recent News: Vitesse Energy delivered mixed quarterly results on Nov. 3, which helps explain why analysts are split on the stock's direction.

The wide spread between White's $33 price target and Baker's $20 target shows there's genuine disagreement about where this stock is headed, even as both analysts acknowledge its appeal as an income generator.

Western Midstream Partners LP

Western Midstream Partners LP (WES) rounds out our trio with a 9.37% dividend yield, the most modest of the three but still nearly five times the S&P 500's average yield.

  • Dividend Yield: 9.37%
  • Citigroup analyst Spiro Dounis maintained a Neutral rating with a $39 price target on Oct. 20, 2025. Dounis brings a solid 74% accuracy rate to his analysis.
  • Mizuho analyst Gabriel Moreen showed more enthusiasm, maintaining an Outperform rating and bumping the price target from $44 to $46 on Aug. 29, 2025. Moreen's accuracy rate stands at 70%.
  • Recent News: On Dec. 1, Western Midstream priced a significant $1.2 billion senior notes offering, including 4.800% notes due in 2031 and 5.500% notes due in 2035.

That debt offering is worth noting because it shows the company accessing capital markets at reasonable rates, which suggests bond investors are comfortable with Western Midstream's financial position. For equity investors eyeing that dividend, the company's ability to raise debt at under 6% while paying nearly 10% to shareholders is an interesting dynamic to watch.

Why High-Yield Energy Stocks Matter Now

These three companies represent a corner of the market where income generation takes center stage. Companies with high free cash flows and established dividend policies often appeal to investors looking for stability when market turbulence picks up. The energy sector in particular has seen companies return more cash to shareholders in recent years, making these yields possible.

That said, outsized yields sometimes signal underlying concerns. A company's dividend yield rises when its stock price falls, so it's worth understanding whether you're getting a bargain or catching a falling knife. The analyst ratings highlighted here come from Wall Street's more accurate forecasters, which can help separate legitimate income opportunities from potential value traps.

For investors building income-focused portfolios, these three energy names offer substantially higher yields than traditional blue-chip dividend payers. Whether that premium compensates for the additional risks in the energy sector is something each investor needs to evaluate based on their own situation and risk tolerance.

Back to News

Top Wall Street Analysts Weigh In on Three Energy Stocks Paying Over 9% Dividends

MarketDash Editorial Team
17 hours ago
When markets get choppy, dividend-paying energy stocks look increasingly attractive. Here's what Wall Street's most accurate analysts are saying about three companies offering yields above 9%, complete with their latest ratings, price targets, and why these stocks matter for income-focused investors.

When market volatility kicks up, investors often look for companies that offer something tangible beyond stock price appreciation. Enter dividend-paying stocks, particularly those with substantial free cash flows and generous shareholder payouts. In the energy sector right now, three companies are catching attention with dividend yields that would make any income investor take notice.

Below, we're breaking down what Wall Street's most accurate analysts are saying about three energy stocks sporting dividend yields above 9%. These ratings come from analysts with proven track records, sorted by their historical accuracy in calling stock movements.

Evolution Petroleum Corp

Evolution Petroleum Corp (EPM) is leading the pack with an impressive dividend yield of 11.76%, though the company has seen mixed analyst sentiment recently.

  • Dividend Yield: 11.76%
  • Roth Capital analyst Nick Pope reinstated Evolution Petroleum with a Buy rating and set a $5 price target on Dec. 4, 2025. Pope's track record shows a 63% accuracy rate.
  • Northland Capital Markets analyst Bobby Brooks took a more cautious approach, maintaining a Market Perform rating while reducing the price target from $5 to $4.50 on May 20, 2025. Brooks brings a stronger 76% accuracy rate to his calls.
  • Recent News: The company posted disappointing quarterly sales on Nov. 11, which may explain the divergence in analyst opinions.

That double-digit yield certainly grabs attention, but the recent sales miss and mixed analyst ratings suggest investors should dig deeper before jumping in based on yield alone.

Vitesse Energy Inc

Vitesse Energy Inc (VTS) offers a still-substantial 10.14% dividend yield, with analyst opinions spanning from neutral to bullish.

  • Dividend Yield: 10.14%
  • Evercore ISI Group analyst Chris Baker maintained an In-Line (neutral) rating while trimming the price target from $22 to $20 on Oct. 6, 2025. Baker's accuracy rate sits at 69%.
  • Roth MKM analyst John White showed more optimism, maintaining his Buy rating and actually raising the price target from $30.50 to $33 on April 2, 2025. White's accuracy rate stands at 63%.
  • Recent News: Vitesse Energy delivered mixed quarterly results on Nov. 3, which helps explain why analysts are split on the stock's direction.

The wide spread between White's $33 price target and Baker's $20 target shows there's genuine disagreement about where this stock is headed, even as both analysts acknowledge its appeal as an income generator.

Western Midstream Partners LP

Western Midstream Partners LP (WES) rounds out our trio with a 9.37% dividend yield, the most modest of the three but still nearly five times the S&P 500's average yield.

  • Dividend Yield: 9.37%
  • Citigroup analyst Spiro Dounis maintained a Neutral rating with a $39 price target on Oct. 20, 2025. Dounis brings a solid 74% accuracy rate to his analysis.
  • Mizuho analyst Gabriel Moreen showed more enthusiasm, maintaining an Outperform rating and bumping the price target from $44 to $46 on Aug. 29, 2025. Moreen's accuracy rate stands at 70%.
  • Recent News: On Dec. 1, Western Midstream priced a significant $1.2 billion senior notes offering, including 4.800% notes due in 2031 and 5.500% notes due in 2035.

That debt offering is worth noting because it shows the company accessing capital markets at reasonable rates, which suggests bond investors are comfortable with Western Midstream's financial position. For equity investors eyeing that dividend, the company's ability to raise debt at under 6% while paying nearly 10% to shareholders is an interesting dynamic to watch.

Why High-Yield Energy Stocks Matter Now

These three companies represent a corner of the market where income generation takes center stage. Companies with high free cash flows and established dividend policies often appeal to investors looking for stability when market turbulence picks up. The energy sector in particular has seen companies return more cash to shareholders in recent years, making these yields possible.

That said, outsized yields sometimes signal underlying concerns. A company's dividend yield rises when its stock price falls, so it's worth understanding whether you're getting a bargain or catching a falling knife. The analyst ratings highlighted here come from Wall Street's more accurate forecasters, which can help separate legitimate income opportunities from potential value traps.

For investors building income-focused portfolios, these three energy names offer substantially higher yields than traditional blue-chip dividend payers. Whether that premium compensates for the additional risks in the energy sector is something each investor needs to evaluate based on their own situation and risk tolerance.