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.
169 stocks
Updated May 22, 2026
| # | Symbol | Name | Price | Change % | Market Cap | P/E | Div Yield | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVO | Novo Nordisk A/S | $44.74 | -2.31% | 1.14T | 11.2 | 4.55% | Healthcare |
| 2 | RDY | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories | $13.57 | +0.15% | 1.01T | 18.2 | 0.66% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 3 | LLY | Eli Lilly and Co. | $1,062.20 | +1.97% | 946.93B | 37.5 | 0.69% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 4 | JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | $231.73 | +1.05% | 549.56B | 26.1 | 2.32% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 5 | UNH | UnitedHealth Group Inc | $382.48 | -0.21% | 358.78B | 29.8 | 2.22% | Health Care |
| 6 | KO | Coca-Cola Co. | $81.17 | -0.47% | 348.46B | 25.4 | 2.64% | Beverages |
| 7 | PM | Philip Morris International | $188.46 | -0.09% | 295.52B | 26.6 | 3.06% | Tobacco |
| 8 | MRK | Merck & Co. Inc. | $115.88 | +2.55% | 278.45B | 31.2 | 3.00% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 9 | AZN | AstraZeneca PLC | $181.58 | -1.83% | 230.48B | 30.5 | 1.59% | Healthcare |
| 10 | NVS | Novartis AG | $148.08 | -1.13% | 216.04B | 19.7 | 3.15% | Healthcare |
| 11 | PEP | PepsiCo Inc. | $148.85 | -0.29% | 203.42B | 23.3 | 3.98% | Beverages |
| 12 | NSRGY | Nestlé S.A. | $98.71 | +0.72% | 198.47B | 22.0 | 3.94% | Consumer Defensive |
| 13 | NEE | Nextera Energy Inc | $89.69 | +1.61% | 195.77B | 23.9 | 2.61% | Utilities |
| 14 | LRLCY | L'Oréal S.A. | $82.90 | -0.64% | 186.30B | 30.4 | 2.06% | Consumer Defensive |
| 15 | ISRG | Intuitive Surgical Inc | $439.80 | -2.06% | 152.10B | 51.1 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 16 | ABT | Abbott Laboratories | $87.48 | -0.33% | 146.70B | 23.4 | 2.97% | Health Care |
| 17 | PFE | Pfizer Inc. | $25.95 | +0.62% | 144.48B | 19.3 | 6.68% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 18 | CVS | Cvs Health Corp | $93.32 | +0.04% | 124.08B | 42.3 | 2.74% | Health Care |
| 19 | MO | Altria Group Inc | $73.79 | +0.11% | 121.26B | 15.1 | 5.86% | Tobacco |
| 20 | SYK | Stryker Corp | $313.50 | -2.49% | 117.42B | 35.2 | 1.15% | Health Care |
| 21 | BMY | Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | $59.55 | +1.73% | 114.93B | 19.2 | 4.44% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 22 | SO | Southern Co/The | $94.24 | +0.66% | 104.47B | 23.9 | 3.25% | Utilities |
| 23 | CEG | Constellation Energy | $285.83 | +1.62% | 99.42B | 26.2 | 0.62% | Utilities |
| 24 | MDT | Medtronic Plc | $78.15 | +0.00% | 98.82B | 21.4 | 3.69% | Health Care |
| 25 | SNY | Sanofi | $42.69 | -0.37% | 97.65B | 7.8 | 5.10% | Healthcare |
| 26 | DUK | Duke Energy Corp | $124.66 | +0.69% | 95.69B | 18.6 | 3.43% | Utilities |
| 27 | HCA | Hca Healthcare Inc | $392.91 | +0.09% | 94.17B | 13.9 | 0.72% | Health Care |
| 28 | UL | Unilever PLC | $56.24 | -1.92% | 92.04B | 11.2 | 4.10% | Consumer Defensive |
| 29 | MCK | Mckesson Corp | $762.98 | -0.46% | 91.26B | 19.2 | 0.44% | Health Care |
| 30 | BTI | British American Tobacco p.l.c. | $65.66 | -0.11% | 89.90B | 11.6 | 5.90% | Consumer Defensive |
| 31 | ELV | Elevance Health Inc | $389.82 | -1.61% | 85.87B | 16.4 | 1.73% | Health Care |
| 32 | MNST | Monster Beverage Corp | $86.77 | +0.52% | 84.99B | 44.6 | 0.00% | Beverages |
| 33 | GSK | GSK plc | $49.67 | -2.53% | 84.80B | 14.8 | 3.30% | Healthcare |
| 34 | BSX | Boston Scientific Corp | $57.85 | +1.22% | 78.48B | 22.0 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 35 | MDLZ | Mondelez International Inc-A | $61.50 | -0.55% | 78.46B | 30.0 | 3.28% | Food Products |
| 36 | CI | The Cigna Group | $284.50 | +0.88% | 77.01B | 12.3 | 2.12% | Health Care |
| 37 | AEP | American Electric Power | $129.61 | +0.57% | 69.97B | 19.2 | 2.95% | Utilities |
| 38 | SRE | Sempra | $91.55 | +0.10% | 60.00B | 30.7 | 2.83% | Utilities |
| 39 | D | Dominion Energy Inc | $68.29 | +0.83% | 54.39B | 18.4 | 4.24% | Utilities |
| 40 | ETR | Entergy Corp | $112.51 | +0.21% | 50.95B | 28.3 | 2.27% | Utilities |
| 41 | COR | Cencora Inc | $265.44 | +0.26% | 50.14B | 19.7 | 0.92% | Health Care |
| 42 | MDLN | Medline Inc-Cl A | $37.10 | +2.34% | 49.78B | 51.5 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 43 | XEL | Xcel Energy Inc | $80.88 | +0.85% | 48.64B | 23.3 | 2.88% | Utilities |
| 44 | VST | Vistra Corp | $149.08 | +3.53% | 47.10B | 49.9 | 0.57% | Utilities |
| 45 | EW | Edwards Lifesciences Corp | $84.94 | +2.09% | 46.94B | 42.8 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 46 | CAH | Cardinal Health Inc | $200.61 | +0.69% | 45.84B | 29.5 | 1.05% | Health Care |
| 47 | WLWHY | Woolworths Group Limited | $3.37 | +5.97% | 45.71B | 26.5 | 0.00% | Consumer Defensive |
| 48 | EXC | Exelon Corp | $45.94 | +1.30% | 44.39B | 16.0 | 3.78% | Utilities |
| 49 | IDXX | Idexx Laboratories Inc | $553.07 | -0.09% | 41.88B | 38.2 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 50 | CCEP | Coca-Cola Europacific Partne | $94.03 | -0.13% | 40.04B | 17.7 | 2.63% | Beverages |
| 51 | KDP | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc | $28.78 | +0.31% | 39.59B | 21.6 | 3.16% | Beverages |
| 52 | BDX | Becton Dickinson And Co | $146.54 | +0.20% | 39.33B | 34.6 | 2.91% | Health Care |
| 53 | FTS | Fortis Inc | $56.23 | +0.63% | 39.28B | 21.8 | 3.31% | Utilities |
| 54 | ED | Consolidated Edison Inc | $107.40 | +1.03% | 38.96B | 19.3 | 3.31% | Utilities |
| 55 | ADM | Archer-Daniels-Midland Co | $77.12 | -0.55% | 38.46B | 35.6 | 2.55% | Food Products |
| 56 | HSY | Hershey Co/The | $190.39 | -0.24% | 38.42B | 35.1 | 3.05% | Food Products |
| 57 | PEG | Public Service Enterprise Gp | $78.48 | +0.54% | 38.14B | 16.9 | 3.45% | Utilities |
| 58 | ENLT | Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd | $93.01 | +1.59% | 36.63B | 95.1 | 0.00% | Utilities |
| 59 | WEC | Wec Energy Group Inc | $113.20 | +0.97% | 36.36B | 22.2 | 3.27% | Utilities |
| 60 | HUM | Humana Inc | $303.68 | -0.14% | 36.08B | 31.9 | 1.17% | Health Care |
| 61 | PCG | P G & E Corp | $16.47 | +0.18% | 35.75B | 12.1 | 1.19% | Utilities |
| 62 | DEO | Diageo plc | $81.69 | +1.38% | 32.74B | 18.4 | 4.16% | Consumer Defensive |
| 63 | SSEZF | SSE plc | $32.79 | -1.01% | 31.88B | 30.9 | 2.44% | Utilities |
| 64 | ZTS | Zoetis Inc | $80.07 | +0.45% | 31.64B | 12.0 | 1.64% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 65 | TSCDY | Tesco PLC | $18.89 | +1.18% | 31.40B | 11.5 | 2.93% | Consumer Defensive |
| 66 | RPRX | Royalty Pharma Plc- Cl A | $53.55 | +0.92% | 30.44B | 36.8 | 1.76% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 67 | DTE | Dte Energy Company | $143.75 | +0.69% | 29.77B | 23.6 | 3.24% | Utilities |
| 68 | ATO | Atmos Energy Corp | $177.84 | +0.21% | 29.61B | 22.0 | 2.21% | Utilities |
| 69 | AEE | Ameren Corporation | $111.16 | +1.20% | 29.56B | 19.4 | 2.74% | Utilities |
| 70 | RMD | Resmed Inc | $208.98 | -0.42% | 29.45B | 19.4 | 1.19% | Health Care |
| 71 | CNC | Centene Corp | $57.77 | -0.88% | 28.71B | — | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 72 | GEHC | Ge Healthcare Technology | $64.33 | +0.11% | 28.51B | 14.9 | 0.22% | Health Care |
| 73 | NRG | Nrg Energy Inc | $136.92 | +2.19% | 27.47B | 114.9 | 1.41% | Utilities |
| 74 | KHC | Kraft Heinz Co/The | $23.86 | +1.36% | 27.18B | — | 6.86% | Food Products |
| 75 | CNP | Centerpoint Energy Inc | $42.47 | +0.54% | 27.06B | 25.3 | 2.16% | Utilities |
| 76 | EIX | Edison International | $71.29 | +1.38% | 26.65B | 7.1 | 4.96% | Utilities |
| 77 | PPL | Ppl Corp | $36.17 | +2.06% | 26.58B | 22.5 | 3.19% | Utilities |
| 78 | VEEV | Veeva Systems Inc-Class A | $158.27 | -4.06% | 25.93B | 28.5 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 79 | FE | Firstenergy Corp | $45.50 | +0.13% | 25.52B | 24.0 | 4.18% | Utilities |
| 80 | ES | Eversource Energy | $69.63 | +0.84% | 25.20B | 14.4 | 4.58% | Utilities |
| 81 | ALC | Alcon Inc | $67.93 | +0.97% | 24.79B | 38.6 | 0.56% | Health Care |
| 82 | AWK | American Water Works Co Inc | $124.90 | +0.82% | 24.63B | 22.4 | 2.84% | Utilities |
| 83 | STZ | Constellation Brands Inc-A | $149.34 | -0.99% | 24.22B | 14.4 | 2.93% | Beverages |
| 84 | WLMIY | Wilmar International | $29.68 | -0.17% | 24.03B | 13.4 | 3.65% | Consumer Defensive |
| 85 | BG | Bunge Global Sa | $120.46 | +0.43% | 23.68B | 34.7 | 2.34% | Food Products |
| 86 | DXCM | Dexcom Inc | $71.90 | +0.64% | 23.51B | 25.3 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 87 | TSN | Tyson Foods Inc-Cl A | $66.47 | -0.08% | 22.95B | 50.7 | 3.06% | Food Products |
| 88 | CMS | Cms Energy Corp | $73.64 | +0.95% | 22.25B | 20.1 | 3.11% | Utilities |
| 89 | NI | Nisource Inc | $47.71 | +1.47% | 22.17B | 23.1 | 2.53% | Utilities |
| 90 | EMA | Emera Inc | $53.21 | +0.64% | 21.76B | 20.3 | 4.08% | Utilities |
| 91 | IMBBY | Imperial Brands PLC | $38.68 | +0.26% | 21.70B | 10.5 | 5.74% | Consumer Defensive |
| 92 | STE | Steris Plc | $217.72 | -0.89% | 20.93B | 29.6 | 1.17% | Health Care |
| 93 | LH | Labcorp Holdings Inc | $255.75 | -0.65% | 20.77B | 22.1 | 1.13% | Health Care |
| 94 | DGX | Quest Diagnostics Inc | $193.82 | +0.04% | 20.68B | 20.2 | 1.83% | Health Care |
| 95 | VTRS | Viatris Inc | $16.46 | -0.78% | 20.10B | — | 3.09% | Pharmaceuticals |
| 96 | EVRG | Evergy Inc | $83.82 | +0.20% | 18.60B | 21.1 | 3.36% | Utilities |
| 97 | LNT | Alliant Energy Corp | $73.96 | +0.93% | 18.31B | 22.3 | 2.95% | Utilities |
| 98 | GIS | General Mills Inc | $33.47 | -0.45% | 17.58B | 7.9 | 7.36% | Food Products |
| 99 | HOLX | Hologic Inc | $76.01 | +0.48% | 16.97B | 31.2 | 0.00% | Health Care |
| 100 | THC | Tenet Healthcare Corp | $175.28 | -1.53% | 16.95B | 10.0 | 0.00% | Health Care |
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