Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts Spotlight On 3 Defensive Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.

Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting Analyst Stock Ratings page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including by analyst accuracy.

Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the consumer staples sector.

Altria Group, Inc. MO

Dividend Yield: 6.94%
Barclays analyst Gaurav Jain maintained an Underweight rating and raised the price target from $46 to $49 on May 2, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 65%.
Stifel analyst Matthew Smith maintained a Buy rating and boosted the price target from $60 to $63 on April 30, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%.
Recent News: On April 29, Altria Group posted upbeat quarterly earnings.
Benzinga Pro’s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest MO news.

PepsiCo, Inc. PEP

Dividend Yield: 4.34%
Barclays analyst Lauren Lieberman maintained an Equal-Weight rating and lowered the price target from $143 to $135 on April 28, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%.
Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey maintained an Equal-Weight rating and slashed the price target from $150 to $140 on April 25, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%.
Recent News: PepsiCo reportedly confirmed plans to discontinue manufacturing operations at its Frito-Lay facility in Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California on June 11, bringing an end to more than 50 years of production at the site.
Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to latest PEP news

WK Kellogg Co KLG

Dividend Yield: 4.13%
Morgan Stanley analyst Megan Alexander initiated coverage on the stock with an Underweight rating and a price target of $18 on March 24, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 69%.
Jefferies analyst Rob Dickerson maintained a Hold rating and cut the price target from $19 to $16 on Jan. 28, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 66%.
Recent News: On May 6, WK Kellogg reported worse-than-expected first-quarter financial results.
Benzinga Pro’s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest KLG news