Safe Stocks

50 stocks · Updated Mar 25, 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	XOMExxon Mobil Corporation	XOM	Exxon Mobil Corporation	$164.70	0.35	2.53%	24.58	$665.64B	Energy
2	VVisa Inc.	V	Visa Inc.	$305.18	0.79	0.89%	28.63	$581.53B	Financial Services
3	JNJJohnson & Johnson	JNJ	Johnson & Johnson	$234.46	0.33	2.21%	21.24	$567.22B	Healthcare
4	PGThe Procter & Gamble Company	PG	The Procter & Gamble Company	$143.13	0.34	2.93%	21.20	$337.46B	Consumer Defensive
5	KOThe Coca-Cola Company	KO	The Coca-Cola Company	$74.81	0.33	2.76%	24.61	$321.55B	Consumer Defensive
6	MRKMerck & Co., Inc.	MRK	Merck & Co., Inc.	$116.22	0.26	2.91%	15.94	$282.30B	Healthcare
7	PMPhilip Morris International Inc.	PM	Philip Morris International Inc.	$164.06	0.40	4.36%	22.57	$253.91B	Consumer Defensive
8	UNHUnitedHealth Group Incorporated	UNH	UnitedHealth Group Incorporated	$271.39	0.38	3.21%	20.56	$250.15B	Healthcare
9	TMUST-Mobile US, Inc.	TMUS	T-Mobile US, Inc.	$211.44	0.41	1.96%	21.73	$233.18B	Communication Services
10	IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation	IBM	International Business Machines Corporation	$241.19	0.71	2.78%	21.63	$226.79B	Technology
11	MCDMcDonald's Corporation	MCD	McDonald's Corporation	$308.68	0.50	2.35%	25.83	$220.40B	Consumer Cyclical
12	VZVerizon Communications Inc.	VZ	Verizon Communications Inc.	$50.95	0.28	5.47%	12.58	$210.80B	Communication Services
13	PEPPepsiCo, Inc.	PEP	PepsiCo, Inc.	$150.48	0.38	3.79%	25.08	$205.16B	Consumer Defensive
14	AMGNAmgen Inc.	AMGN	Amgen Inc.	$349.30	0.42	2.78%	24.53	$187.49B	Healthcare
15	NEENextEra Energy, Inc.	NEE	NextEra Energy, Inc.	$91.93	0.75	2.60%	27.94	$186.47B	Utilities
16	ABTAbbott Laboratories	ABT	Abbott Laboratories	$103.99	0.74	2.27%	27.88	$183.43B	Healthcare
17	GILDGilead Sciences, Inc.	GILD	Gilead Sciences, Inc.	$137.66	0.37	2.32%	20.33	$170.34B	Healthcare
18	COPConocoPhillips	COP	ConocoPhillips	$129.54	0.28	2.55%	20.43	$155.14B	Energy
19	PFEPfizer Inc.	PFE	Pfizer Inc.	$27.05	0.41	6.37%	19.89	$153.44B	Healthcare
20	LMTLockheed Martin Corporation	LMT	Lockheed Martin Corporation	$608.79	0.20	2.15%	28.33	$145.19B	Industrials
21	CBChubb Limited	CB	Chubb Limited	$326.05	0.49	1.20%	12.69	$125.86B	Financial Services
22	PGRThe Progressive Corporation	PGR	The Progressive Corporation	$206.76	0.29	6.75%	10.75	$120.70B	Financial Services
23	BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Company	BMY	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	$57.42	0.27	4.33%	16.64	$117.06B	Healthcare
24	MDTMedtronic plc	MDT	Medtronic plc	$86.83	0.73	3.28%	24.19	$110.62B	Healthcare
25	CMECME Group Inc.	CME	CME Group Inc.	$303.01	0.26	1.69%	27.15	$110.48B	Financial Services
26	MCKMcKesson Corporation	MCK	McKesson Corporation	$883.74	0.35	0.37%	25.42	$109.34B	Healthcare
27	MOAltria Group, Inc.	MO	Altria Group, Inc.	$64.45	0.43	6.45%	15.64	$108.22B	Consumer Defensive
28	NEMNewmont Corporation	NEM	Newmont Corporation	$99.15	0.39	1.05%	15.52	$104.54B	Basic Materials
29	NOCNorthrop Grumman Corporation	NOC	Northrop Grumman Corporation	$681.37	0.01	1.31%	23.41	$100.33B	Industrials
30	DUKDuke Energy Corporation	DUK	Duke Energy Corporation	$127.75	0.47	3.34%	20.21	$98.66B	Utilities
31	GDGeneral Dynamics Corporation	GD	General Dynamics Corporation	$346.97	0.37	1.74%	22.44	$93.50B	Industrials
32	EPDEnterprise Products Partners L.P.	EPD	Enterprise Products Partners L.P.	$38.39	0.57	5.79%	14.43	$81.20B	Energy
33	REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	REGN	Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$741.40	0.40	0.49%	17.83	$76.15B	Healthcare
34	EOGEOG Resources, Inc.	EOG	EOG Resources, Inc.	$142.47	0.43	2.88%	15.62	$75.27B	Energy
35	KMIKinder Morgan, Inc.	KMI	Kinder Morgan, Inc.	$33.98	0.65	3.56%	24.80	$73.06B	Energy
36	SLBSLB N.V.	SLB	SLB N.V.	$50.47	0.71	2.47%	21.29	$69.73B	Energy
37	MPCMarathon Petroleum Corporation	MPC	Marathon Petroleum Corporation	$244.25	0.71	1.64%	18.36	$68.54B	Energy
38	AEPAmerican Electric Power Company, Inc.	AEP	American Electric Power Company, Inc.	$129.27	0.57	2.99%	19.38	$67.96B	Utilities
39	TRVThe Travelers Companies, Inc.	TRV	The Travelers Companies, Inc.	$292.65	0.50	1.48%	10.66	$66.16B	Financial Services
40	ETEnergy Transfer LP	ET	Energy Transfer LP	$19.22	0.65	6.97%	14.24	$65.40B	Energy
41	ELVElevance Health Inc.	ELV	Elevance Health Inc.	$289.56	0.47	2.35%	11.50	$64.33B	Healthcare
42	LNGCheniere Energy, Inc.	LNG	Cheniere Energy, Inc.	$295.61	0.24	0.79%	12.24	$60.46B	Energy
43	MPLXMPLX Lp	MPLX	MPLX Lp	$59.39	0.54	7.43%	12.32	$58.98B	Energy
44	BDXBecton, Dickinson and Company	BDX	Becton, Dickinson and Company	$155.74	0.31	2.28%	25.41	$55.84B	Healthcare
45	AFLAflac Incorporated	AFL	Aflac Incorporated	$106.34	0.65	2.21%	15.52	$54.85B	Financial Services
46	DDominion Energy, Inc.	D	Dominion Energy, Inc.	$60.35	0.67	4.50%	17.44	$52.18B	Utilities
47	CAHCardinal Health, Inc.	CAH	Cardinal Health, Inc.	$208.20	0.62	0.98%	29.96	$48.91B	Healthcare
48	XELXcel Energy Inc.	XEL	Xcel Energy Inc.	$77.97	0.43	3.00%	22.80	$47.90B	Utilities
49	ETREntergy Corporation	ETR	Entergy Corporation	$102.80	0.60	2.48%	26.29	$45.25B	Utilities
50	METMetLife, Inc.	MET	MetLife, Inc.	$69.90	0.74	3.31%	14.87	$45.17B	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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