Four stocks — Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic — were highlighted as retirement-income holdings that can better withstand a recession than more cyclical names.
Consumer staples and healthcare anchor the call because shoppers still buy basic goods and patients still need treatment even when budgets tighten and oil prices climb.
Coca-Cola and P&G, both Dividend Kings with 50-plus years of payout growth, yield about 2.6% and 2.9%, with their valuations at or below five-year average P/E levels.
Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic yield roughly 2.3% and 3.6%; J&J offers broader diversification, while Medtronic carries more turnaround risk but recently posted its strongest revenue growth in 10 quarters.
The advice stops short of moving to cash, instead framing these defensive sectors as a way to keep portfolios invested while adding resilience ahead of a possible summer downturn.
With experts divided on a 2026 recession, is the rush to 'safe' stocks a smart defensive play or a major missed opportunity?
Can historical 'Dividend Kings' truly weather 2026's unique geopolitical risks, or is their safe-haven status now in question?