While there’s no such thing as a sure-thing investment, a bit of research can identify stocks that have a higher likelihood of hanging tough if things stay rocky on Wall Street.
First, it’s important to look for companies with scale and stable revenue that can sidestep any short-term business disruptions. Next, companies with consistent dividends are stronger stocks because of the reliable profits that fuel those payouts quarter after quarter. Also, companies that have managed to claw their way higher across a volatile first quarter have the clearest sign of all that they can hang tough even when peers melt down. Throw in a business model that doesn’t depend on discretionary spending and you have a pretty good screen for a “risk-off” stock that will thrive as investors move out of growth names and look for cover.
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The following stocks are all large-cap companies with at least 2% dividend yields and positive returns in what has otherwise been a rocky start to 2025. None of these factors are a guarantee of gains in the months ahead, of course, but these traits may indicate the best safe stocks to buy now:
| Stock | Sector | Forward Dividend Yield | Market Capitalization |
| Coca-Cola Co. (ticker: KO) | Consumer staples | 2.9% | $297 billion |
| Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) | Utilities | 3.1% | $38 billion |
| CVS Health Corp. (CVS) | Health care | 3.9% | $84 billion |
| Genuine Parts Co. (GPC) | Consumer discretionary | 3.3% | $17 billion |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) | Health care | 2.8% | $132 billion |
| Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) | Consumer staples | 2.9% | $82 billion |
| Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) | Consumer staples | 3.5% | $239 billion |
Coca-Cola Co. (KO)
Forward yield: 2.9% Market value: $297 billion Sector: Consumer staples
Consumer staples stocks are some of the best low-risk stocks because they aren’t prone to the ups and downs of discretionary companies when family budgets tighten up. And when it comes to consumer stocks, Coca-Cola is a powerhouse that’s hard to top. The Atlanta-based beverage company has a global scale, with more than 130 years of operating history and operations in most countries around the world.
While it’s true that sugary soft drinks might not be a growth business in an age of healthy eating, Coke products have strong baseline demand — and besides, this multibillion-dollar powerhouse also owns brands such as Vitamin Water, Fuze teas, Powerade energy drinks and Minute Maid juices. When consumers eat out less, comfort foods and groceries tend to see a bump. Throw in the fact that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) is KO’s largest shareholder, and there’s a huge argument for share price stability thanks to institutional support.
Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED)
Forward yield: 3.1% Market value: $38 billion Sector: Utilities The top-performing U.S. utility stock in 2025, ConEd has put up about 20% gains this year even as the rest of the domestic stock market has stumbled. Utility stocks are generally a great sector to consider for long-term investing, as electricity is a necessity and the expensive infrastructure of a highly regulated industry means competition is scarce.
ConEd distributes electricity to about 3.6 million customers in the New York City area and natural gas to 1.1 million. This vibrant urban area has strong and stable energy demand, making Consolidated Edison one of the most reliable defensive stocks out there. What’s more, the company has an enviable track record of more than 50 consecutive years of dividend increases, proving it has stable profits across disruptive environments and market downturns.
CVS Health Corp. (CVS)
Forward yield: 3.9% Market value: $84 billion Sector: Health care CVS Health shares have jumped an amazing 50% this year after a short-lived low around the start of the year thanks to its low-risk appeal. The company is best known for its leading position in the pharmacy space, filling prescriptions for some 90 million patients a year. However, the company is rapidly expanding into more than just drugs. It currently has about 900 MinuteClinics providing urgent care services, and its Signify Health arm boasts more than 11,000 licensed clinicians delivering in-home evaluations.
Health care is a reliable industry, since folks get sick and need care in any economic environment. But unfortunately, the U.S. has one of the most expensive health care systems in the world — and that means consumers sometimes have to cut corners, particularly if they are uninsured, and instead look to CVS in place of traditional care. With reliable prescription and pharmacy services coupled with this growing clinic arm, this staples/health care hybrid is a strong choice for investors looking for safe stocks to buy.
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Genuine Parts Co. (GPC)
Forward yield: 3.3% Market value: $17 billion Sector: Consumer discretionary
Genuine Parts is well known among dividend investors for two reasons. First, it’s the company behind the Napa nameplate, making it one of the go-to distributors for automotive and industrial replacement parts across the U.S. Second, GPC has one of the longest track records of consecutive dividend increases on Wall Street, with 2025 marking the 69th straight year of increased dividends paid to shareholders.
You simply can’t support regular increases like that without strong operations and reliable profits, which makes Genuine Parts a great safe stock investment. Furthermore, don’t let the “discretionary” sector label fool you into thinking this stock depends on strong consumer confidence. In times of economic distress, people tend to repair older vehicles and put off new car purchases, which bodes well for GPC stock even if other consumer names stumble.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD)
Forward yield: 2.8% Market value: $132 billion Sector: Health care
Gilead is a health care company that specializes in virology, with a suite of best-in-class HIV/AIDS maintenance drugs that provide a tremendous backbone of revenue. It also has made significant inroads on vaccine businesses previously dominated by Big Pharma mainstays, particularly in the COVID-19 and flu space, where seasonal shots are required.
GILD has a strong product pipeline of oncology drugs and other treatments to keep its business on track, and it’s safe to say that even in tough economic times there is strong demand for health care products like these that help Americans live longer and better lives. GILD is one of the top S&P 500 performers of 2025 as a result of its risk-off posture, with shares up about 16% since Jan. 1 while the rest of the index is in the red.
Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ)
Forward yield: 2.9% Market value: $82 billion Sector: Consumer staples
Mondelez has seen some ups and downs in recent years, with a rather poor performance in 2024 thanks to the risk of inflation weighing on margins as cocoa prices marched steadily higher to an all-time high. But in 2025, the timing seems right for a turnaround as shares are up about 6% thanks to better input prices as well as the low-risk nature of this consumer giant that owns go-to brands including Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers and Sour Patch Kids candies, among others. It also helps that this stock does more than half of its revenue overseas, allowing it to tap into growth potential that U.S. markets simply aren’t seeing this year.
Analysts project low-single-digit revenue growth this year and next, but it’s the consistency of this company that makes it one of the best stocks to buy. That and a 47-cent quarterly payout is more than triple the 15 cents per share it paid at the beginning of 2015, showing a strong commitment to shareholders through dividend growth.
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM)
Forward yield: 3.5% Market value: $239 billion Sector: Consumer staples Typically, Altria Group Inc. (MO) is the go-to tobacco name on any list of low-risk dividend stocks. But Philip Morris’ international focus means it can benefit from European and other international outperformance in 2025, making PM the more attractive of the two stocks right now.
Shares are up about 28% since Jan. 1, with a generous dividend on top of that. In times of trouble, cigarettes and other tobacco products are small stress relievers that consumers find very hard to quit. That makes Philip Morris one of the best safe stocks to buy now.
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7 Best Safe Stocks to Buy Now originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 03/19/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
