with stock market volatility expected to continue over the next several months investors are searching for income in fact dividend stocks have been outperforming the broader market the vanguard dividend appreciation index fund etf has a total return of 57 over the last 12 months including reinvested dividends while the s  p 500 s total return is 146 during the same time period vig 1y mountain vanguard dividend appreciation index fund etf shares over the past year meanwhile there could be another year of record dividend returns  in 2022 s  p companies shelled out a record 564 billion in dividends a 10 increase over 2021 according to s  p global with that in mind cnbc pro looked for stocks in the vanguard dividend appreciation index fund etf that are loved by analysts the companies are rated buy by at least 70 of the analysts covering them they also have at least 10 upside reflected in their consensus price target so there is some potential stock appreciation along with the yield both cabot a specialty chemicals and performance materials company and first merchants  a bank are most loved by wall street with all the analysts covering the stocks rating them a buy cabot which yields 21 has nearly 22 upside to the average price target first merchants along with its 31 yield has nearly 18 upside to its consensus price target of all names on the list broadcom has the highest dividend yield at 32 along with that yield the stock has 14 upside to the average analyst price target some 71 of the analysts covering the stock rate it a buy even a recent bloomberg report that apple will replace broadcoms chip by 2025 with its own chip hasnt appeared to have shaken analysts confidence bank of americas vivek arya wrote in a note earlier this week that the news is a modest negative for the stock broadcoms profitability and growth are instead more dependent on its unique data centerenterprise networking assets and highly resilient infrastructure software assets he said xbox and windows software maker microsoft also made the cut with a 12 yield and 21 upside to the average analyst price target some 75 of analysts covering microsoft rate it buy citigroup is one of the firms that like the stock naming it a top pick for 2023  while challenges will prevail for growthatallcosts names we believe companies that show good sales efficiency with large market opportunities are among the best positioned analyst tyler radke wrote in a note thursday nearly 74 of the analysts covering nextera energy have a buy rating on the the florida utility which sports a 2 dividend yield and offers 14 upside based on the average analyst price target in its 2023 utilities outlook mizuho said its buy rating reflects nexteras premium utility business in florida as well as its unregulated renewable generation business we believe the combination of nees growth prospects and renewable opportunities warrant its group leading valuation and will continue to drive nees outperformance versus the group the firm said lastly payments company visa has an 08 dividend yield and 12 upside based on the consensus price target some 70 of analysts covering the stock rate it a buy visa was recently upgraded by keybanc to overweight from sector weight the wall street firm said visa and mastercard will benefit as fintech grows to an embedded model used by businesses consumers merchants and issuers cnbcs michael bloom contributed reporting