Importance of Dividend Aristocrats: Dividend aristocrats are companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, and they are typically listed on the S&P 500 index. Identifying these companies is crucial for earning regular dividend income.
Top Dividend Aristocrat Picks: Analysts recommend three dividend aristocrat stocks: Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT), Chevron Corporation (CVX), and Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL), all of which have high dividend payout ratios and positive growth potential.
Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT): This Maryland-based REIT has a dividend payout ratio of 224.30%, a yield of 4.39%, and a Moderate Buy rating with an average price target suggesting over 11% growth.
Chevron Corporation (CVX) and Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL): Chevron has a payout ratio of 162.28% and a yield of 4.35%, while Hormel Foods has a payout ratio of 157.82% and a yield of 4.89%, both with Moderate Buy ratings and significant upside potential.
Wall Street analysts forecast CVX stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CVX is 177.50 USD with a low forecast of 158.00 USD and a high forecast of 204.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
16 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast CVX stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CVX is 177.50 USD with a low forecast of 158.00 USD and a high forecast of 204.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 166.160
Low
158.00
Averages
177.50
High
204.00
Current: 166.160
Low
158.00
Averages
177.50
High
204.00
Piper Sandler
Ryan Todd
Overweight
downgrade
$178 -> $174
Al Analysis
2026-01-08
Reason
Piper Sandler
Ryan Todd
Price Target
$178 -> $174
Al Analysis
2026-01-08
downgrade
Overweight
Reason
Piper Sandler analyst Ryan Todd lowered the firm's price target on Chevron to $174 from $178 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm says that entering 2026, while the chairs have shuffled around a bit, the song remains similar to twelve months ago - a bearish crude outlook that is likely to make it difficult for the sector to outperform the broader market. On the flip side, Piper sees the refining market as even better than 2025, driven by what it expects to be incrementally tighter S/D and crude differential tailwinds.
Freedom Capital
Sergey Pigarev
Hold -> Sell
downgrade
$165
2026-01-06
Reason
Freedom Capital
Sergey Pigarev
Price Target
$165
2026-01-06
downgrade
Hold -> Sell
Reason
Freedom Capital analyst Sergey Pigarev downgraded Chevron to Sell from Hold with a $165 price target. The "euphoria" in the U.S. oil and gas sector triggered by the U.S. operation in Venezuela is "unjustified," contends the analyst, who calls rising oil and gas equities amid declining oil prices "a dangerous game for investors." The sharp rally in U.S. oil and gas stocks over recent months shows little regard for the sector's negative fundamental backdrop, marked by falling oil prices and an oversupplied market, the analyst argues.
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Bernstein
Market Perform
maintain
$170 -> $172
2026-01-05
Reason
Bernstein
Price Target
$170 -> $172
2026-01-05
maintain
Market Perform
Reason
Bernstein raised the firm's price target on Chevron to $172 from $170 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares. The firm begins 2026 with a balanced view for oil. Bernstein expects choppiness in the near term and sees strength in the longer term.
Citi
Buy
to
Buy
downgrade
$185 -> $179
2026-01-05
Reason
Citi
Price Target
$185 -> $179
2026-01-05
downgrade
Buy
to
Buy
Reason
Citi lowered the firm's price target on Chevron to $179 from $185 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The firm updated the company's model to reflect higher downtime in the upstream business and better oil and gas prices.
About CVX
Chevron Corporation is an integrated energy company. The Company produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance its business and industry. The Company’s segments include Upstream and Downstream. Upstream operations consist primarily of exploring for, developing, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation and regasification associated with LNG; transporting crude oil by major international oil export pipelines; processing, transporting, storage and marketing of natural gas; carbon capture and storage; and a gas-to-liquids plant. Downstream operations consist primarily of the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants; manufacturing and marketing of renewable fuels, and transporting of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment and rail car.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
