Safe Stocks

50 stocks · Updated Aug 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	XOMExxon Mobil Corporation	XOM	Exxon Mobil Corporation	$152.94	0.16	2.62%	26.05	$644.38B	Energy
2	JNJJohnson & Johnson	JNJ	Johnson & Johnson	$257.30	0.23	2.04%	29.60	$617.78B	Healthcare
3	KOThe Coca-Cola Company	KO	The Coca-Cola Company	$86.69	0.35	2.37%	27.24	$376.85B	Consumer Defensive
4	PGThe Procter & Gamble Company	PG	The Procter & Gamble Company	$145.38	0.38	2.97%	21.34	$343.48B	Consumer Defensive
5	NVSNovartis AG	NVS	Novartis AG	$156.01	0.50	2.01%	19.86	$314.69B	Healthcare
6	BABAAlibaba Group Holding Limited	BABA	Alibaba Group Holding Limited	$127.41	0.43	1.49%	22.67	$307.65B	Consumer Cyclical
7	PMPhilip Morris International Inc.	PM	Philip Morris International Inc.	$188.99	0.41	3.08%	26.49	$297.41B	Consumer Defensive
8	HSBCHSBC Holdings plc	HSBC	HSBC Holdings plc	$103.70	0.47	1.74%	13.77	$293.66B	Financial Services
9	TMToyota Motor Corporation	TM	Toyota Motor Corporation	$189.96	0.20	2.56%	10.98	$286.12B	Consumer Cyclical
10	SHELShell plc	SHEL	Shell plc	$88.74	-0.07	3.38%	14.29	$245.65B	Energy
11	SAPSAP SE	SAP	SAP SE	$206.31	0.69	1.48%	23.15	$233.16B	Technology
12	IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation	IBM	International Business Machines Corporation	$234.88	0.68	3.01%	20.64	$210.71B	Technology
13	AMGNAmgen Inc.	AMGN	Amgen Inc.	$406.75	0.40	2.54%	28.15	$207.87B	Healthcare
14	MUFGMitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.	MUFG	Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.	$22.45	0.16	2.31%	16.94	$195.87B	Financial Services
15	TTETotalEnergies SE	TTE	TotalEnergies SE	$85.52	0.05	4.49%	12.81	$195.66B	Energy
16	VZVerizon Communications Inc.	VZ	Verizon Communications Inc.	$46.71	0.24	5.97%	11.42	$195.46B	Communication Services
17	MCDMcDonald's Corporation	MCD	McDonald's Corporation	$274.61	0.42	2.72%	22.75	$192.29B	Consumer Cyclical
18	PEPPepsiCo, Inc.	PEP	PepsiCo, Inc.	$138.35	0.37	4.12%	21.69	$190.64B	Consumer Defensive
19	TMUST-Mobile US, Inc.	TMUS	T-Mobile US, Inc.	$179.11	0.32	2.28%	19.10	$185.26B	Communication Services
20	BHPBHP Group Limited	BHP	BHP Group Limited	$89.92	0.74	3.61%	19.53	$185.07B	Basic Materials
21	SCHWThe Charles Schwab Corporation	SCHW	The Charles Schwab Corporation	$107.01	0.76	1.12%	21.31	$183.03B	Financial Services
22	ABTAbbott Laboratories	ABT	Abbott Laboratories	$107.31	0.61	2.35%	29.88	$182.90B	Healthcare
23	NEENextEra Energy, Inc.	NEE	NextEra Energy, Inc.	$84.73	0.67	2.74%	21.52	$181.30B	Utilities
24	NVONovo Nordisk A/S	NVO	Novo Nordisk A/S	$47.01	0.27	3.09%	11.50	$176.82B	Healthcare
25	GILDGilead Sciences, Inc.	GILD	Gilead Sciences, Inc.	$133.66	0.34	2.47%	17.80	$161.66B	Healthcare
26	HDBHDFC Bank Limited	HDB	HDFC Bank Limited	$23.57	0.36	3.70%	15.85	$152.44B	Financial Services
27	RIORio Tinto Group	RIO	Rio Tinto Group	$101.10	0.65	4.42%	16.07	$146.88B	Basic Materials
28	COPConocoPhillips	COP	ConocoPhillips	$117.59	0.12	2.74%	19.89	$146.78B	Energy
29	ULUnilever PLC	UL	Unilever PLC	$63.24	0.26	3.49%	24.75	$145.10B	Consumer Defensive
30	BUDAnheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV	BUD	Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV	$84.47	0.73	1.60%	21.63	$142.88B	Consumer Defensive
31	PFEPfizer Inc.	PFE	Pfizer Inc.	$26.45	0.31	6.88%	19.95	$142.54B	Healthcare
32	CBChubb Limited	CB	Chubb Limited	$351.89	0.41	1.12%	12.46	$135.29B	Financial Services
33	LMTLockheed Martin Corporation	LMT	Lockheed Martin Corporation	$580.20	0.11	2.34%	28.11	$134.49B	Industrials
34	BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Company	BMY	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	$64.33	0.23	3.84%	18.02	$133.41B	Healthcare
35	AZNAstraZeneca PLC	AZN	AstraZeneca PLC	$160.38	0.23	1.86%	24.19	$131.47B	Healthcare
36	BTIBritish American Tobacco p.l.c.	BTI	British American Tobacco p.l.c.	$59.67	0.07	5.25%	12.12	$126.84B	Consumer Defensive
37	PGRThe Progressive Corporation	PGR	The Progressive Corporation	$214.61	0.25	6.57%	10.91	$122.92B	Financial Services
38	ENBEnbridge Inc.	ENB	Enbridge Inc.	$51.37	0.80	5.08%	15.95	$118.92B	Energy
39	MOAltria Group, Inc.	MO	Altria Group, Inc.	$68.29	0.49	6.21%	14.20	$114.07B	Consumer Defensive
40	GSKGSK plc	GSK	GSK plc	$52.69	0.32	3.17%	14.26	$111.31B	Healthcare
41	MDTMedtronic plc	MDT	Medtronic plc	$86.36	0.58	3.34%	23.00	$109.30B	Healthcare
42	SOThe Southern Company	SO	The Southern Company	$93.28	0.33	3.15%	23.68	$108.75B	Utilities
43	GDGeneral Dynamics Corporation	GD	General Dynamics Corporation	$385.78	0.34	1.61%	24.28	$103.74B	Industrials
44	MCKMcKesson Corporation	MCK	McKesson Corporation	$882.10	0.32	0.38%	22.56	$100.24B	Healthcare
45	IBNICICI Bank Limited	IBN	ICICI Bank Limited	$30.07	0.18	0.92%	17.06	$100.20B	Financial Services
46	MFGMizuho Financial Group, Inc.	MFG	Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.	$10.69	0.20	2.12%	16.39	$100.17B	Financial Services
47	NEMNewmont Corporation	NEM	Newmont Corporation	$112.52	0.48	1.09%	13.57	$98.74B	Basic Materials
48	DUKDuke Energy Corporation	DUK	Duke Energy Corporation	$124.67	0.37	3.40%	18.95	$97.78B	Utilities
49	CMECME Group Inc.	CME	CME Group Inc.	$264.97	0.28	4.20%	22.47	$96.29B	Financial Services
50	MPCMarathon Petroleum Corporation	MPC	Marathon Petroleum Corporation	$296.26	0.52	1.24%	19.51	$92.39B	Energy

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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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