Safe Stocks

50 stocks · Updated Nov 7, 2026

Safe stocks combine multiple characteristics associated with capital preservation: low market volatility (beta below 0.8), large market cap (above $20B) providing business scale and resilience, dividend payments indicating profitable cash flow, and reasonable valuations. This screen is not about finding the highest returns but the most predictable — companies unlikely to surprise shareholders with dramatic downturns. Conservative investors, those near retirement, and capital preservation mandates are the primary audience.

#	Stock	Symbol	Company	Price	Beta	Div Yield	P/E	Market Cap	Sector
1	XOMExxonmobil Holdings Corporation	XOM	Exxonmobil Holdings Corporation	$165.93	0.17	2.32%	27.98	$729.70B	Energy
2	PGThe Procter & Gamble Company	PG	The Procter & Gamble Company	$165.56	0.36	2.67%	24.20	$375.62B	Consumer Defensive
3	UNHUnitedHealth Group Incorporated	UNH	UnitedHealth Group Incorporated	$393.58	0.61	2.24%	29.72	$363.02B	Healthcare
4	PMPhilip Morris International Inc.	PM	Philip Morris International Inc.	$198.26	0.36	2.89%	27.89	$324.24B	Consumer Defensive
5	NVSNovartis AG	NVS	Novartis AG	$162.02	0.50	2.01%	19.86	$314.69B	Healthcare
6	BABAAlibaba Group Holding Limited	BABA	Alibaba Group Holding Limited	$108.90	0.43	1.49%	22.67	$307.65B	Consumer Cyclical
7	HSBCHSBC Holdings plc	HSBC	HSBC Holdings plc	$87.04	0.47	1.74%	13.77	$293.66B	Financial Services
8	TMToyota Motor Corporation	TM	Toyota Motor Corporation	$215.27	0.20	2.56%	10.98	$286.12B	Consumer Cyclical
9	AZNAstraZeneca PLC	AZN	AstraZeneca PLC	$186.03	0.21	1.76%	28.02	$285.17B	Healthcare
10	SHELShell plc	SHEL	Shell plc	$99.15	-0.07	3.38%	14.29	$245.65B	Energy
11	IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation	IBM	International Business Machines Corporation	$245.03	0.76	2.70%	21.66	$236.32B	Technology
12	SAPSAP SE	SAP	SAP SE	$233.95	0.69	1.48%	23.15	$233.16B	Technology
13	GILDGilead Sciences, Inc.	GILD	Gilead Sciences, Inc.	$167.42	0.36	1.94%	22.81	$207.66B	Healthcare
14	TTETotalEnergies SE	TTE	TotalEnergies SE	$88.12	0.05	4.28%	13.05	$206.99B	Energy
15	MUFGMitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.	MUFG	Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.	$20.97	0.16	2.31%	16.94	$195.87B	Financial Services
16	VZVerizon Communications Inc.	VZ	Verizon Communications Inc.	$45.98	0.26	6.22%	11.22	$187.50B	Communication Services
17	PEPPepsiCo, Inc.	PEP	PepsiCo, Inc.	$141.22	0.36	4.23%	22.17	$187.06B	Consumer Defensive
18	MCDMcDonald's Corporation	MCD	McDonald's Corporation	$277.69	0.43	2.83%	22.89	$186.14B	Consumer Cyclical
19	BHPBHP Group Limited	BHP	BHP Group Limited	$79.97	0.74	3.61%	19.53	$185.07B	Basic Materials
20	NEENextEra Energy, Inc.	NEE	NextEra Energy, Inc.	$87.35	0.60	2.89%	22.23	$176.87B	Utilities
21	NVONovo Nordisk A/S	NVO	Novo Nordisk A/S	$40.23	0.27	3.09%	11.50	$176.82B	Healthcare
22	COPConocoPhillips	COP	ConocoPhillips	$136.58	0.13	2.33%	23.23	$173.47B	Energy
23	PFEPfizer Inc.	PFE	Pfizer Inc.	$29.24	0.28	5.73%	22.32	$170.99B	Healthcare
24	TMUST-Mobile US, Inc.	TMUS	T-Mobile US, Inc.	$162.72	0.32	2.64%	17.31	$163.56B	Communication Services
25	SCHWThe Charles Schwab Corporation	SCHW	The Charles Schwab Corporation	$91.59	0.76	1.38%	18.17	$154.40B	Financial Services
26	HDBHDFC Bank Limited	HDB	HDFC Bank Limited	$25.11	0.36	3.70%	15.85	$152.44B	Financial Services
27	TJXThe TJX Companies, Inc.	TJX	The TJX Companies, Inc.	$135.25	0.59	1.31%	26.26	$151.40B	Consumer Cyclical
28	LMTLockheed Martin Corporation	LMT	Lockheed Martin Corporation	$567.66	0.10	2.16%	27.49	$147.61B	Industrials
29	RIORio Tinto Group	RIO	Rio Tinto Group	$83.76	0.65	4.42%	16.07	$146.88B	Basic Materials
30	ULUnilever PLC	UL	Unilever PLC	$66.08	0.26	3.49%	24.75	$145.10B	Consumer Defensive
31	BUDAnheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV	BUD	Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV	$83.88	0.73	1.60%	21.63	$142.88B	Consumer Defensive
32	CBChubb Limited	CB	Chubb Limited	$366.41	0.36	1.09%	12.94	$140.05B	Financial Services
33	PGRThe Progressive Corporation	PGR	The Progressive Corporation	$229.16	0.23	6.07%	11.65	$133.14B	Financial Services
34	MOAltria Group, Inc.	MO	Altria Group, Inc.	$76.29	0.46	5.58%	15.96	$127.98B	Consumer Defensive
35	BTIBritish American Tobacco p.l.c.	BTI	British American Tobacco p.l.c.	$60.98	0.07	5.25%	12.12	$126.84B	Consumer Defensive
36	MDTMedtronic Plc	MDT	Medtronic Plc	$102.16	0.57	2.89%	27.39	$126.48B	Healthcare
37	BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Company	BMY	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	$62.15	0.23	4.08%	17.46	$126.14B	Healthcare
38	MPCMarathon Petroleum Corporation	MPC	Marathon Petroleum Corporation	$374.39	0.53	0.94%	24.42	$120.01B	Energy
39	ADPAutomatic Data Processing, Inc.	ADP	Automatic Data Processing, Inc.	$304.00	0.79	2.30%	28.33	$117.29B	Technology
40	MCKMcKesson Corporation	MCK	McKesson Corporation	$1067.21	0.28	0.34%	27.74	$116.55B	Healthcare
41	NEMNewmont Corporation	NEM	Newmont Corporation	$121.01	0.57	0.96%	15.65	$111.68B	Basic Materials
42	GSKGSK plc	GSK	GSK plc	$50.28	0.32	3.17%	14.26	$111.31B	Healthcare
43	ENBEnbridge Inc.	ENB	Enbridge Inc.	$46.85	0.79	5.69%	14.46	$109.08B	Energy
44	CMECME Group Inc.	CME	CME Group Inc.	$306.81	0.27	3.72%	26.18	$108.83B	Financial Services
45	VLOValero Energy Corporation	VLO	Valero Energy Corporation	$347.41	0.58	1.22%	25.23	$108.11B	Energy
46	SOThe Southern Company	SO	The Southern Company	$92.41	0.29	3.20%	23.63	$107.85B	Utilities
47	PSXPhillips 66	PSX	Phillips 66	$246.43	0.69	1.84%	24.28	$106.08B	Energy
48	GDGeneral Dynamics Corporation	GD	General Dynamics Corporation	$355.27	0.31	1.67%	22.34	$101.20B	Industrials
49	REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	REGN	Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$907.62	0.24	0.38%	22.12	$100.20B	Healthcare
50	IBNICICI Bank Limited	IBN	ICICI Bank Limited	$33.84	0.18	0.92%	17.06	$100.20B	Financial Services

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does "safe" mean in the context of investing?

Safety in investing has multiple dimensions: capital safety (not losing principal), income safety (reliable dividends), and volatility safety (predictable price behavior). No stock is completely safe — even the strongest companies can face unexpected challenges.

Can safe stocks still generate good returns?

Absolutely — many low-beta, dividend-paying blue chips like Visa, Microsoft, and Johnson & Johnson have delivered outstanding long-term total returns while experiencing less volatility than the market. Safety and performance are not mutually exclusive.

How does diversification enhance safety?

Even safe individual stocks carry idiosyncratic risks. Owning 15-20 safe stocks across sectors reduces the impact of any single company's adverse event while maintaining the defensive characteristics of the overall portfolio.

What are the most common risks facing "safe" companies?

Regulatory changes (pharma, utilities), technology disruption (consumer staples facing private label), leverage from acquisitions, and fraud (Enron was widely considered safe) are the most common sources of adverse surprises in otherwise defensive companies.

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