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.
171 stocks
Updated Oct 4, 2026
| # | Symbol | Name | Price | Change % | Market Cap | P/E | Div Yield | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVO | Novo Nordisk A/S | $37.32 | -0.21% | 1.14T | 11.2 | 4.55% | Healthcare |
| 2 | LLY | Eli Lilly and Co. | $1,142.85 | -0.61% | 1.08T | 40.4 | 0.75% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 3 | RDY | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories | $12.25 | +0.00% | 1.01T | 18.2 | 0.66% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 4 | JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | $256.03 | -1.02% | 620.05B | 29.5 | 3.12% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 5 | KO | Coca-Cola Co. | $85.65 | -0.52% | 370.28B | 25.9 | 3.14% | Beverages |
| 6 | MRK | Merck & Co. Inc. | $144.30 | +0.34% | 354.12B | 111.6 | 2.87% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 7 | UNH | UnitedHealth Group Inc | $371.90 | +1.83% | 330.10B | 23.4 | 1.37% | Health Care |
| 8 | PM | Philip Morris International | $187.46 | -0.38% | 293.61B | 27.0 | 5.51% | Tobacco |
| 9 | AZN | AstraZeneca PLC | $156.90 | -0.51% | 230.48B | 30.5 | 1.59% | Healthcare |
| 10 | NVS | Novartis AG | $141.00 | -0.04% | 216.04B | 19.7 | 3.15% | Healthcare |
| 11 | NSRGY | Nestlé S.A. | $89.72 | -1.17% | 198.47B | 22.0 | 3.94% | Consumer Defensive |
| 12 | LRLCY | L'Oréal S.A. | $83.14 | -2.73% | 186.30B | 30.4 | 2.06% | Consumer Defensive |
| 13 | PEP | PepsiCo Inc. | $125.89 | +0.23% | 171.32B | 16.4 | 2.99% | Beverages |
| 14 | ABT | Abbott Laboratories | $97.50 | +0.84% | 167.71B | 30.9 | 1.98% | Health Care |
| 15 | NEE | Nextera Energy Inc | $76.83 | +0.63% | 161.36B | 17.4 | 3.25% | Utilities |
| 16 | PFE | Pfizer Inc. | $27.80 | -1.14% | 157.00B | 36.2 | 5.38% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 17 | ISRG | Intuitive Surgical Inc | $391.95 | -2.32% | 140.43B | 44.7 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 18 | BMY | Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | $61.15 | -0.50% | 124.47B | 13.4 | 4.58% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 19 | MO | Altria Group Inc | $67.35 | +0.60% | 112.20B | 14.1 | 9.45% | Tobacco |
| 20 | MDT | Medtronic Plc | $86.38 | -0.07% | 110.06B | 21.0 | 3.50% | Health Care |
| 21 | CVS | Cvs Health Corp | $86.46 | +1.48% | 109.54B | 22.4 | 3.49% | Health Care |
| 22 | SYK | Stryker Corp | $275.43 | +0.90% | 105.64B | 28.3 | 1.02% | Health Care |
| 23 | MCK | Mckesson Corp | $902.28 | +0.38% | 103.87B | 22.6 | 0.54% | Health Care |
| 24 | SNY | Sanofi | $39.92 | -1.84% | 97.65B | 7.8 | 5.10% | Healthcare |
| 25 | SO | Southern Co/The | $83.72 | +0.30% | 96.62B | 20.8 | 4.02% | Utilities |
| 26 | HCA | Hca Healthcare Inc | $426.69 | +0.78% | 92.19B | 13.5 | 0.95% | Health Care |
| 27 | UL | Unilever PLC | $61.24 | -2.06% | 92.04B | 11.2 | 4.10% | Consumer Defensive |
| 28 | CEG | Constellation Energy | $257.49 | -0.55% | 91.23B | 26.3 | 0.91% | Utilities |
| 29 | BTI | British American Tobacco p.l.c. | $52.33 | -1.62% | 89.90B | 11.6 | 5.90% | Consumer Defensive |
| 30 | DUK | Duke Energy Corp | $114.13 | +0.34% | 89.67B | 17.1 | 4.52% | Utilities |
| 31 | GSK | GSK plc | $49.35 | -0.70% | 84.80B | 14.8 | 3.30% | Healthcare |
| 32 | MNST | Monster Beverage Corp | $42.94 | +1.90% | 83.17B | 39.1 | 0.00% | Beverages |
| 33 | ELV | Elevance Health Inc | $386.43 | +1.25% | 82.91B | 16.7 | 1.24% | Health Care |
| 34 | MDLZ | Mondelez International Inc-A | $58.19 | +0.74% | 74.12B | 21.1 | 2.37% | Food Products |
| 35 | CI | The Cigna Group | $270.53 | +0.96% | 70.61B | 11.0 | 1.74% | Health Care |
| 36 | AEP | American Electric Power | $119.57 | -0.15% | 65.13B | 20.7 | 4.48% | Utilities |
| 37 | BSX | Boston Scientific Corp | $42.60 | -1.46% | 62.21B | 16.9 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 38 | COR | Cencora Inc | $309.05 | -0.24% | 58.84B | 22.4 | 1.01% | Health Care |
| 39 | D | Dominion Energy Inc | $61.31 | +0.91% | 53.86B | 21.3 | 5.69% | Utilities |
| 40 | CAH | Cardinal Health Inc | $228.30 | -0.78% | 52.62B | 30.7 | 1.88% | Health Care |
| 41 | SRE | Sempra | $78.38 | +0.42% | 51.65B | 22.6 | 3.23% | Utilities |
| 42 | EW | Edwards Lifesciences Corp | $85.15 | -0.05% | 49.52B | 49.3 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 43 | ETR | Entergy Corp | $100.91 | +0.51% | 48.63B | 26.8 | 4.47% | Utilities |
| 44 | BDX | Becton Dickinson And Co | $176.80 | -0.71% | 48.34B | 51.3 | 1.59% | Health Care |
| 45 | MDLN | Medline Inc-Cl A | $35.61 | +1.92% | 45.94B | 66.3 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 46 | HUM | Humana Inc | $388.36 | +2.29% | 45.92B | 35.9 | 0.68% | Health Care |
| 47 | VST | Vistra Corp | $140.02 | +0.19% | 45.85B | 20.7 | 2.44% | Utilities |
| 48 | WLWHY | Woolworths Group Limited | $2.41 | +0.00% | 45.71B | 26.5 | 0.00% | Consumer Defensive |
| 49 | CCEP | Coca-Cola Europacific Partne | $101.06 | +0.27% | 44.84B | 20.0 | 5.03% | Beverages |
| 50 | XEL | Xcel Energy Inc | $71.40 | +1.20% | 44.66B | 20.0 | 2.88% | Utilities |
| 51 | VEEV | Veeva Systems Inc-Class A | $273.33 | -3.05% | 44.36B | 43.7 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 52 | EXC | Exelon Corp | $40.73 | +0.64% | 41.94B | 15.1 | 3.67% | Utilities |
| 53 | KDP | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc | $30.37 | -1.04% | 41.44B | 29.0 | 2.64% | Beverages |
| 54 | IDXX | Idexx Laboratories Inc | $518.39 | +0.12% | 41.06B | 36.0 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 55 | ADM | Archer-Daniels-Midland Co | $80.45 | +1.17% | 38.47B | 21.7 | 2.42% | Food Products |
| 56 | FTS | Fortis Inc | $52.87 | +0.25% | 38.35B | 21.1 | 4.23% | Utilities |
| 57 | ED | Consolidated Edison Inc | $103.39 | -0.11% | 38.18B | 17.2 | 3.56% | Utilities |
| 58 | PEG | Public Service Enterprise Gp | $68.07 | +0.27% | 34.10B | 17.0 | 3.50% | Utilities |
| 59 | WEC | Wec Energy Group Inc | $101.59 | -0.14% | 33.61B | 19.9 | 3.29% | Utilities |
| 60 | RPRX | Royalty Pharma Plc- Cl A | $57.16 | -0.82% | 32.90B | 40.4 | 2.96% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 61 | DEO | Diageo plc | $85.34 | -1.04% | 32.74B | 18.4 | 4.16% | Consumer Defensive |
| 62 | DXCM | Dexcom Inc | $85.36 | -1.01% | 32.36B | 32.4 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 63 | HSY | Hershey Co/The | $160.19 | +0.56% | 32.11B | 27.4 | 2.49% | Food Products |
| 64 | SSEZF | SSE plc | $32.55 | +0.00% | 31.88B | 30.9 | 2.44% | Utilities |
| 65 | RMD | Resmed Inc | $218.89 | -1.02% | 31.81B | 20.9 | 1.25% | Health Care |
| 66 | TSCDY | Tesco PLC | $18.84 | +1.18% | 31.40B | 11.5 | 2.93% | Consumer Defensive |
| 67 | CNC | Centene Corp | $62.99 | +3.28% | 30.57B | — | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 68 | ZTS | Zoetis Inc | $69.69 | +0.85% | 29.12B | 11.1 | 1.64% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 69 | GEHC | Ge Healthcare Technology | $64.29 | +0.48% | 29.04B | 14.6 | 0.16% | Health Care |
| 70 | ENLT | Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd | $66.58 | +1.96% | 28.05B | 102.0 | 0.00% | Utilities |
| 71 | AEE | Ameren Corporation | $99.94 | +0.30% | 27.83B | 17.8 | 3.27% | Utilities |
| 72 | PCG | P G & E Corp | $12.32 | +1.23% | 27.07B | 8.6 | 0.00% | Utilities |
| 73 | ATO | Atmos Energy Corp | $157.17 | +0.51% | 26.61B | 19.0 | 2.88% | Utilities |
| 74 | ALC | Alcon Inc | $63.76 | -0.28% | 26.41B | 38.9 | 0.32% | Health Care |
| 75 | KHC | Kraft Heinz Co/The | $22.19 | -1.20% | 26.31B | — | 4.58% | Food Products |
| 76 | DTE | Dte Energy Company | $124.45 | +0.96% | 26.02B | 19.8 | 3.62% | Utilities |
| 77 | AWK | American Water Works Co Inc | $130.25 | +1.87% | 25.62B | 22.7 | 2.14% | Utilities |
| 78 | DGX | Quest Diagnostics Inc | $233.33 | +0.97% | 25.58B | 24.1 | 2.10% | Health Care |
| 79 | FE | Firstenergy Corp | $43.34 | -0.12% | 25.32B | 23.3 | 4.36% | Utilities |
| 80 | LH | Labcorp Holdings Inc | $308.49 | +1.28% | 25.02B | 25.0 | 1.35% | Health Care |
| 81 | PPL | Ppl Corp | $32.80 | +0.12% | 24.83B | 19.6 | 3.65% | Utilities |
| 82 | CNP | Centerpoint Energy Inc | $37.79 | +1.56% | 24.80B | 22.2 | 2.86% | Utilities |
| 83 | ES | Eversource Energy | $64.50 | +0.30% | 24.38B | 16.8 | 4.56% | Utilities |
| 84 | WLMIY | Wilmar International | $27.05 | -1.33% | 24.03B | 13.4 | 3.65% | Consumer Defensive |
| 85 | GH | Guardant Health Inc | $177.80 | +1.75% | 24.01B | — | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 86 | IMBBY | Imperial Brands PLC | $32.27 | -0.55% | 21.70B | 10.5 | 5.74% | Consumer Defensive |
| 87 | THC | Tenet Healthcare Corp | $258.62 | +1.83% | 20.97B | 9.4 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 88 | EMA | Emera Inc | $48.03 | +0.76% | 20.83B | 20.0 | 5.95% | Utilities |
| 89 | EIX | Edison International | $53.89 | +0.17% | 20.52B | 5.2 | 4.48% | Utilities |
| 90 | BG | Bunge Global Sa | $106.72 | +0.10% | 20.50B | 20.4 | 2.45% | Food Products |
| 91 | STE | Steris Plc | $208.54 | -0.38% | 20.28B | 25.2 | 1.02% | Health Care |
| 92 | VTRS | Viatris Inc | $17.60 | +0.80% | 20.28B | — | 5.09% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 93 | NRG | Nrg Energy Inc | $95.23 | -1.75% | 20.21B | 23.8 | 3.29% | Utilities |
| 94 | CMS | Cms Energy Corp | $63.74 | +0.16% | 20.11B | 19.6 | 3.39% | Utilities |
| 95 | STZ | Constellation Brands Inc-A | $112.87 | -0.11% | 19.27B | 10.6 | 1.49% | Beverages |
| 96 | NI | Nisource Inc | $39.43 | -0.18% | 19.01B | 21.0 | 3.83% | Utilities |
| 97 | EVRG | Evergy Inc | $79.17 | +0.48% | 18.24B | 19.7 | 5.06% | Utilities |
| 98 | TSN | Tyson Foods Inc-Cl A | $51.89 | +2.81% | 17.58B | 30.6 | 4.06% | Food Products |
| 99 | ZBH | Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc | $88.29 | +0.26% | 17.21B | 21.3 | 1.04% | Health Care |
| 100 | GIS | General Mills Inc | $32.01 | +1.07% | 17.05B | — | 3.62% | Food Products |
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