Recession-Proof Stocks
Defensive stocks in sectors that historically hold up during economic downturns: utilities, healthcare, and consumer staples. Essential goods and services with steady demand.
174 stocks
Updated Aug 20, 2026
| # | Symbol | Name | Price | Change % | Market Cap | P/E | Div Yield | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LLY | Eli Lilly and Co. | $1,263.65 | -1.30% | 1.15T | 43.2 | 0.57% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 2 | NVO | Novo Nordisk A/S | $45.96 | -1.63% | 1.14T | 11.2 | 4.55% | Healthcare |
| 3 | RDY | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories | $12.20 | +0.74% | 1.01T | 18.2 | 0.66% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 4 | JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | $271.35 | -0.75% | 629.71B | 29.9 | 2.05% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 5 | KO | Coca-Cola Co. | $90.35 | +1.72% | 375.87B | 26.3 | 2.43% | Beverages |
| 6 | UNH | UnitedHealth Group Inc | $388.61 | -1.35% | 361.90B | 25.6 | 2.33% | Health Care |
| 7 | MRK | Merck & Co. Inc. | $152.20 | +12.60% | 329.55B | 103.9 | 2.51% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 8 | PM | Philip Morris International | $189.93 | +1.23% | 293.67B | 27.0 | 3.11% | Tobacco |
| 9 | AZN | AstraZeneca PLC | $164.95 | +3.03% | 230.48B | 30.5 | 1.59% | Healthcare |
| 10 | NVS | Novartis AG | $160.31 | +3.73% | 216.04B | 19.7 | 3.15% | Healthcare |
| 11 | NSRGY | Nestlé S.A. | $99.19 | +2.03% | 198.47B | 22.0 | 3.94% | Consumer Defensive |
| 12 | ABT | Abbott Laboratories | $114.84 | +0.36% | 192.69B | 35.5 | 2.26% | Health Care |
| 13 | PEP | PepsiCo Inc. | $142.58 | +1.75% | 190.50B | 18.2 | 4.21% | Beverages |
| 14 | LRLCY | L'Oréal S.A. | $89.33 | +2.97% | 186.30B | 30.4 | 2.06% | Consumer Defensive |
| 15 | NEE | Nextera Energy Inc | $85.91 | -0.36% | 178.94B | 19.2 | 2.90% | Utilities |
| 16 | PFE | Pfizer Inc. | $28.24 | +3.63% | 152.49B | 35.2 | 6.42% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 17 | ISRG | Intuitive Surgical Inc | $397.72 | +1.67% | 141.76B | 45.2 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 18 | BMY | Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | $67.61 | +2.36% | 131.92B | 14.2 | 3.90% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 19 | SYK | Stryker Corp | $339.98 | +2.60% | 131.15B | 35.2 | 1.03% | Health Care |
| 20 | CVS | Cvs Health Corp | $93.65 | -1.33% | 122.46B | 25.0 | 2.80% | Health Care |
| 21 | MDT | Medtronic Plc | $94.13 | +2.22% | 116.45B | 24.3 | 3.18% | Health Care |
| 22 | MO | Altria Group Inc | $66.91 | +1.33% | 109.62B | 13.8 | 6.52% | Tobacco |
| 23 | SO | Southern Co/The | $92.19 | +0.13% | 106.51B | 22.9 | 3.28% | Utilities |
| 24 | MCK | Mckesson Corp | $849.06 | -0.54% | 100.54B | 21.9 | 0.44% | Health Care |
| 25 | CEG | Constellation Energy | $274.17 | +2.75% | 98.72B | 28.5 | 0.61% | Utilities |
| 26 | SNY | Sanofi | $45.36 | -1.03% | 97.65B | 7.8 | 5.10% | Healthcare |
| 27 | DUK | Duke Energy Corp | $123.60 | -0.31% | 96.89B | 18.5 | 3.49% | Utilities |
| 28 | UL | Unilever PLC | $62.20 | -0.77% | 92.04B | 11.2 | 4.10% | Consumer Defensive |
| 29 | MNST | Monster Beverage Corp | $47.61 | +0.38% | 90.08B | 42.3 | 0.00% | Beverages |
| 30 | BTI | British American Tobacco p.l.c. | $56.83 | +1.52% | 89.90B | 11.6 | 5.90% | Consumer Defensive |
| 31 | HCA | Hca Healthcare Inc | $407.05 | +0.00% | 88.49B | 12.9 | 0.76% | Health Care |
| 32 | ELV | Elevance Health Inc | $398.45 | +0.05% | 87.21B | 17.6 | 1.73% | Health Care |
| 33 | GSK | GSK plc | $49.27 | -2.34% | 84.80B | 14.8 | 3.30% | Healthcare |
| 34 | MDLZ | Mondelez International Inc-A | $64.55 | +0.61% | 80.42B | 22.9 | 3.15% | Food Products |
| 35 | BSX | Boston Scientific Corp | $50.31 | -3.27% | 74.95B | 20.4 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 36 | CI | The Cigna Group | $276.25 | -0.43% | 73.91B | 11.5 | 2.24% | Health Care |
| 37 | AEP | American Electric Power | $126.27 | -0.06% | 68.21B | 21.7 | 3.03% | Utilities |
| 38 | D | Dominion Energy Inc | $68.29 | -0.47% | 60.22B | 23.8 | 3.90% | Utilities |
| 39 | COR | Cencora Inc | $317.10 | +0.31% | 59.16B | 22.5 | 0.77% | Health Care |
| 40 | SRE | Sempra | $85.59 | -1.82% | 56.52B | 24.8 | 3.04% | Utilities |
| 41 | CAH | Cardinal Health Inc | $234.85 | -0.06% | 53.87B | 34.7 | 0.88% | Health Care |
| 42 | EW | Edwards Lifesciences Corp | $90.82 | -1.58% | 53.78B | 53.5 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 43 | ETR | Entergy Corp | $107.89 | -0.06% | 50.27B | 27.7 | 2.39% | Utilities |
| 44 | BDX | Becton Dickinson And Co | $189.38 | +0.95% | 50.13B | 53.2 | 2.31% | Health Care |
| 45 | VST | Vistra Corp | $142.70 | +1.55% | 49.46B | 22.1 | 0.62% | Utilities |
| 46 | XEL | Xcel Energy Inc | $79.09 | -0.40% | 49.10B | 22.0 | 2.88% | Utilities |
| 47 | CCEP | Coca-Cola Europacific Partne | $107.59 | +0.85% | 47.60B | 20.7 | 2.22% | Beverages |
| 48 | EXC | Exelon Corp | $45.35 | +0.11% | 46.99B | 16.9 | 3.68% | Utilities |
| 49 | MDLN | Medline Inc-Cl A | $33.91 | -0.62% | 46.78B | 67.5 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 50 | HUM | Humana Inc | $383.71 | +1.51% | 46.16B | 36.1 | 0.92% | Health Care |
| 51 | WLWHY | Woolworths Group Limited | $2.95 | +0.34% | 45.71B | 26.5 | 0.00% | Consumer Defensive |
| 52 | IDXX | Idexx Laboratories Inc | $562.20 | +1.60% | 44.44B | 39.0 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 53 | KDP | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc | $31.06 | +0.88% | 42.17B | 29.6 | 2.96% | Beverages |
| 54 | FTS | Fortis Inc | $56.23 | -0.43% | 39.99B | 22.0 | 3.26% | Utilities |
| 55 | ED | Consolidated Edison Inc | $108.00 | -1.06% | 39.80B | 18.0 | 3.28% | Utilities |
| 56 | PCG | P G & E Corp | $18.20 | +3.12% | 39.10B | 12.4 | 1.15% | Utilities |
| 57 | ADM | Archer-Daniels-Midland Co | $80.76 | -2.05% | 38.76B | 21.9 | 2.60% | Food Products |
| 58 | VEEV | Veeva Systems Inc-Class A | $251.00 | +3.40% | 37.90B | 40.3 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 59 | PEG | Public Service Enterprise Gp | $75.33 | -0.36% | 37.78B | 18.8 | 3.53% | Utilities |
| 60 | HSY | Hershey Co/The | $188.79 | +2.91% | 37.34B | 31.9 | 3.12% | Food Products |
| 61 | ENLT | Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd | $79.80 | -0.97% | 36.04B | 195.8 | 0.00% | Utilities |
| 62 | WEC | Wec Energy Group Inc | $108.60 | -0.68% | 35.55B | 21.0 | 3.29% | Utilities |
| 63 | DXCM | Dexcom Inc | $90.36 | +0.53% | 34.52B | 34.5 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 64 | RPRX | Royalty Pharma Plc- Cl A | $61.73 | +3.42% | 33.51B | 41.1 | 1.61% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 65 | GEHC | Ge Healthcare Technology | $75.30 | +0.91% | 33.33B | 16.8 | 0.19% | Health Care |
| 66 | CNC | Centene Corp | $64.29 | -0.63% | 32.89B | — | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 67 | DEO | Diageo plc | $95.41 | +0.42% | 32.74B | 18.4 | 4.16% | Consumer Defensive |
| 68 | RMD | Resmed Inc | $230.65 | +4.85% | 32.71B | 21.5 | 1.16% | Health Care |
| 69 | SSEZF | SSE plc | $34.04 | +5.18% | 31.88B | 30.9 | 2.44% | Utilities |
| 70 | TSCDY | Tesco PLC | $18.45 | +1.60% | 31.40B | 11.5 | 2.93% | Consumer Defensive |
| 71 | AEE | Ameren Corporation | $108.77 | -0.47% | 30.24B | 19.4 | 2.75% | Utilities |
| 72 | ZTS | Zoetis Inc | $76.68 | +3.68% | 30.19B | 11.5 | 1.64% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 73 | KHC | Kraft Heinz Co/The | $25.53 | -0.58% | 29.94B | — | 6.30% | Food Products |
| 74 | ALC | Alcon Inc | $74.26 | +0.97% | 29.59B | 44.5 | 0.47% | Health Care |
| 75 | DTE | Dte Energy Company | $138.22 | -0.69% | 29.04B | 22.1 | 3.34% | Utilities |
| 76 | ATO | Atmos Energy Corp | $171.62 | +0.18% | 28.71B | 20.5 | 2.35% | Utilities |
| 77 | FE | Firstenergy Corp | $47.37 | +0.25% | 27.39B | 25.3 | 3.97% | Utilities |
| 78 | ES | Eversource Energy | $71.99 | +0.00% | 27.13B | 18.7 | 4.36% | Utilities |
| 79 | AWK | American Water Works Co Inc | $138.03 | -0.49% | 27.07B | 24.0 | 2.62% | Utilities |
| 80 | EIX | Edison International | $75.31 | +2.55% | 27.03B | 6.9 | 4.97% | Utilities |
| 81 | PPL | Ppl Corp | $35.30 | -0.54% | 26.79B | 22.0 | 3.20% | Utilities |
| 82 | CNP | Centerpoint Energy Inc | $40.40 | -0.35% | 26.72B | 23.9 | 2.37% | Utilities |
| 83 | LH | Labcorp Holdings Inc | $337.42 | +2.11% | 26.16B | 26.1 | 0.89% | Health Care |
| 84 | DGX | Quest Diagnostics Inc | $241.76 | +2.33% | 26.14B | 24.6 | 1.46% | Health Care |
| 85 | NRG | Nrg Energy Inc | $117.00 | -2.97% | 25.43B | 30.0 | 1.59% | Utilities |
| 86 | WLMIY | Wilmar International | $28.80 | +1.16% | 24.03B | 13.4 | 3.65% | Consumer Defensive |
| 87 | STZ | Constellation Brands Inc-A | $134.37 | +0.64% | 23.27B | 12.8 | 3.02% | Beverages |
| 88 | STE | Steris Plc | $237.29 | +0.16% | 22.86B | 29.2 | 1.17% | Health Care |
| 89 | CMS | Cms Energy Corp | $70.24 | -0.52% | 22.09B | 21.5 | 3.23% | Utilities |
| 90 | EMA | Emera Inc | $51.83 | +0.39% | 21.81B | 20.4 | 4.10% | Utilities |
| 91 | IMBBY | Imperial Brands PLC | $34.60 | -0.77% | 21.70B | 10.5 | 5.74% | Consumer Defensive |
| 92 | BG | Bunge Global Sa | $117.79 | +3.32% | 21.66B | 21.5 | 2.55% | Food Products |
| 93 | GH | Guardant Health Inc | $170.12 | +4.15% | 21.49B | — | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 94 | THC | Tenet Healthcare Corp | $273.87 | +1.99% | 21.41B | 9.6 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 95 | GIS | General Mills Inc | $39.99 | +5.02% | 20.57B | — | 6.27% | Food Products |
| 96 | NI | Nisource Inc | $41.63 | -1.16% | 20.21B | 22.3 | 2.85% | Utilities |
| 97 | TSN | Tyson Foods Inc-Cl A | $58.77 | +0.38% | 19.51B | 34.0 | 3.62% | Food Products |
| 98 | EVRG | Evergy Inc | $83.75 | +0.20% | 19.24B | 20.8 | 3.33% | Utilities |
| 99 | VTRS | Viatris Inc | $16.25 | +0.46% | 18.75B | — | 2.70% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 100 | ZBH | Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc | $100.55 | -0.19% | 18.64B | 23.1 | 1.04% | Health Care |
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