Defensive Dividend Stocks
Stocks that protect portfolios during downturns while generating consistent income. Low market correlation, stable cash flows, and essential products.
50 stocks found
Hercules Capital Inc.
Golub Capital BDC, Inc.
Brookfield Property Partners L.P. 6.50% Class A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units, Series 1
Conagra Brands Inc.
Ares Capital Corporation
Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
Vale S.A.
Embotelladora Andina S.A. ADR
Diana Shipping Inc
Usa Compression Partners L.P.
Frontline plc
Telefónica S.A. Sponsored ADR
Associated Banc-Corp
Nuveen AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund Common Shares of Beneficial Interest Par Value $.01
Embotelladora Andina S.A. ADR
Arch Capital Group Ltd. 5.45% Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares, Series F
Kinetik Holdings Inc.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.
MetLife Inc
Allstate Corp-The
Main Street Capital Corporation
Cal-Maine Foods Inc.
Charles Schwab Corp-The
Hartford Financial Services Group Inc-The
MetLife Inc
Sunoco L.P.
National Health Investors, Inc.
First Interstate Bancsystem Inc.
Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais S.A. Sponsored ADR
Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V. American Depositary Receipt
Hormel Foods Corporation
Edison International
Columbia Banking System, Inc.
H&R Block Inc.
Molson Coors Beverage Company
Aegon N.V.
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.
JSC Kaspi.kz American Depositary Receipt
Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S.A. Preferred ADR
Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. ADR
JOYY Inc. American Depositary Shares
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited American Depositary Receipt
Molson Coors Beverage Company
Agree Realty Corporation
Dow Inc.
Companhia Paranaense de Energia – Copel American Depositary Receipt
HSBC Holdings plc Sponsored ADR
National Grid plc Sponsored ADR
Emera Incorporated
American Financial Group Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are defensive dividend stocks?
Defensive dividend stocks are in sectors where demand barely changes regardless of economic conditions: utilities (electricity, gas, water), consumer staples (food, beverages, household products), and healthcare (pharmaceuticals, medical devices). They have betas below 0.8 because investors rotate into them during market downturns, providing both capital stability and dividend income.
How did defensive dividend stocks perform in 2008-2009?
During the 2008-2009 financial crisis, the S&P 500 fell 57%. The Consumer Staples ETF (XLP) fell only 28%. Utilities (XLU) fell 36%. Healthcare (XLV) fell 32%. More importantly, defensive dividend stocks maintained their dividends through the crisis, providing income while growth portfolios were severely impacted.
Should I hold defensive stocks in a bull market?
Defensive stocks typically underperform in bull markets because investors chase higher-risk growth. The trade-off is substantially less downside in bear markets. Research shows a 25-35% defensive allocation reduces portfolio drawdowns by 30-40% while sacrificing only 10-15% of bull market gains — a favorable long-term risk-adjusted result.
What is the best defensive dividend sector?
Utilities are the most defensive sector historically — beta averages 0.35-0.45, and demand for electricity, gas, and water is nearly perfectly inelastic. Consumer staples (KO, PG, CL) offer slightly higher growth. Healthcare (JNJ, ABT) provides a mix of defense and growth. For maximum downside protection with income, utilities lead.
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