All the major Wall Street firms we cover here at 24/7 Wall St. have a list of the top stock picks for their institutional and retail clients to invest in. Typically, these are companies that analysts have a high level of conviction in and feel strongly about their fundamentals and forward-looking prospects. In addition, they often have strong upside to the assigned price target and are assigned a Buy or Overweight rating, depending on the company providing the coverage. After a furious rally off the February lows and with all major indices trading at or near all-time highs, many investors are treading carefully as we start the third quarter of 2026. With earnings season right around the corner, we were very interested to see which stocks were on the July edition of J.P. Morgan’s Analyst Focus List. All will provide investors with steady passive income and have the potential to deliver solid total returns.
The research team at J.P. Morgan updates its U.S. Analyst Focus List monthly, as the company describes:
The U.S. Analyst Focus List is updated monthly. Names may be removed mid-month when a valuation target has been largely or wholly achieved, or the original rationale is no longer valid. New ideas can also be added mid-month. Analysts will publish the explanation for all mid-month changes in a research note.
We screened the July Analyst Focus List, and to our surprise, one of our favorite dividend stocks was added this month. We cover the new addition and found four more companies on the list that pay dependable dividends, and in some cases, big ones.
Why do we recommend J.P. Morgan’s Analyst Focus List stocks?
J.P. Morgan is one of the acknowledged leaders in the investment landscape on Wall Street and worldwide. The firm’s top-notch research department continues to provide institutional and high-net-worth clients with the best ideas across the investment spectrum and is likely to do so for years to come.
EPR Properties
This real estate investment trust (REIT) invests in some of the most popular entertainment companies and is the newest addition to the J.P. Morgan Equity Analysts Focus List. EPR Properties (NYSE: EPR | EPR Price Prediction) is a leading experiential net-lease real estate investment trust specializing in select enduring experiential properties and pays a 6.02% dividend. EPR recently increased its monthly dividend by 5.1% and expects FFO per share growth of more than 5% in 2026, supporting continued dividend increases. After suspending its dividend during COVID, it has recovered with five consecutive years of increases. Its $6.9 billion property portfolio generates solid cash flow, and the monthly dividend of $0.31 per share is well-covered by funds from operations.
J.P. Morgan gave this brief reason for adding the shares: “High dividend yield >6% that we see as safe and growing, with earnings growth likely to be toward the top of the net-lease REIT peer group.”
The company operates through two segments. The Experiential segment consists of approximately:
- 148 theater properties
- 59 eat and play properties
- 25 attraction properties
- 11 ski properties
- Four experiential lodging properties
- One gaming property
- One cultural property
- 22 fitness and wellness properties
The Education segment comprises 46 early childhood education centers and nine private schools.
EPR Properties’ investment portfolio includes ownership of and long-term mortgages on experiential and educational properties. The company has investments in approximately 44 states. All the company’s owned single-tenant properties are leased on long-term, triple-net terms.
The J.P. Morgan price target is $62.
And More
Here are four additional companies on the list that are steady dividend-paying stocks trading at reasonable valuations.
Annaly Capital
With a massive 1240% dividend yield and trading right near the J.P. Morgan target price, Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY) is a total passive-income play. The company is a diversified capital manager with investment strategies across the mortgage finance sector.
It owns a portfolio of real estate-related investments, including:
- Mortgage pass-through certificates
- Collateralized mortgage obligations
- Credit risk transfer (CRT) securities
- Securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans, residential mortgage loans, and mortgage servicing rights
Its investment groups include:
- Annaly Agency Group, which invests in agency mortgage-backed securities collateralized by residential mortgages.
- Annaly Residential Credit Group invests in non-agency residential mortgage assets within residential and commercial markets.
- Annaly Mortgage Servicing Rights Group invests in MSR, which grants the right to service residential mortgage loans in exchange for a portion of the interest payments on those loans.
The $24 J.P. Morgan price target is likely to go higher.
AT&T
AT&T (NYSE: T) is the world’s fourth-largest telecommunications company, measured by revenue. The legacy telecommunications company has undergone a lengthy restructuring process while maintaining a solid dividend yield of 5.42%. Thirteen analysts have given the stock a Buy rating, reflecting broad Wall Street support. AT&T provides a range of telecommunications, media, and technology services worldwide. Its Communications segment offers wireless voice and data communications services.
AT&T sells through its company-owned stores, agents, and third-party retail stores:
- Handsets
- Wireless data cards
- Wireless computing devices
- Carrying cases
- Hands-free devices
AT&T also provides:
- Data
- Voice
- SecuT
- Cloud solutions
- Outsourcing
- Managed and provided professional services
- Customer premises equipment for multinational corporations, small and mid-sized businesses, and governmental and wholesale customers
Additionally, this segment provides residential customers with fiber broadband and legacy voice telephony services.
It markets its communications services and products under:
- AT&T
- Cricket
- AT&T Prepaid
- AT&T Fiber
The company’s Latin America segment provides wireless services in Mexico and video services throughout the region. This segment markets its services and products under the AT&T and Unefon brands.
J.P. Morgan has a $34 price target for the stock.
First Industrial Realty Trust
While off most people’s radar, this REIT pays a solid 2.94% dividend and offers decent upside to J.P. Morgan’s target. First Industrial Realty Trust (NYSE: FR) is a self-administered and fully integrated real estate company. The company is an owner, operator, developer, and acquirer of logistics properties. Through its fully integrated operating and investing platform, it provides facilities and customer service to multinational corporations and regional firms that are essential for their supply chains.
In total, the company owns and has under development approximately 71.6 million square feet of industrial space concentrated in 15 target MSAs. Its tenants are engaged in a variety of businesses, including:
- E-commerce
- Third-party logistics and transportation
- Consumer and other manufactured products
- Retail and consumer services
- Food and beverage
- Lumber and building materials
- Wholesale goods
- Health services
- Governmental and other
Through a wholly owned taxable REIT subsidiary of the operating partnership, the operating partnership owns an equity interest in a joint venture. The company also provides various services to the joint venture.
The J.P. Morgan target price is $70.
Kontoor Brands
While another off-the-radar stock, Kontoor Brands (NYSE: KTB), has tremendous upside and well-known brands, it pays a reasonable 2.47% dividend. The global lifestyle apparel company designs, manufactures, procures, sells, and licenses apparel, footwear, and accessories. Its lifestyle, outdoor, and workwear brands include Wrangler, Lee, and Helly Hansen.
The Wrangler brand offers multiple sub-brands, collections, and product lines within the Wrangler brand to target specific consumer demographics and consumer end-users, including:
- 20X
- Aura from the Women at Wrangler
- Cowboy Cut
- Premium Patch
- Riggs Workwear
- Rock 47
- Rustler
- Wrangler Retro
- Wrangler Rugged Wear
- Wrangler All Terrain Gear
The Lee segment offers denim, apparel, footwear, and accessories for adults and children. The Lee brand offers multiple sub-brands, collections, and product lines, including:
- Lee101
- Riders
- Storm Rider
- Lee MVP
- Lee X
The Helly Hansen brand is an outdoor and workwear brand. Sub-brands include Helly Hansen Sport and Helly Hansen Workwear.
J.P. Morgan has set a price target of $90.
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