With the S&P 500 looking historically expensive at 31 times earnings, it’s a good time to buy a few defensive dividend stocks to hedge against a market crash.
These stocks might also swoon during a downturn, but they’ll reward patient investors with steady income
If you reinvest those dividends, you’ll also accumulate more shares at lower prices. The healthcare sector is a good place to find stable dividend stocks, as the market leaders usually generate ample cash and are well insulated from macro headwinds. These three pharma giants check those boxes and are arguably no-brainer income plays right now: AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).
AbbVie AbbVie struggled after its blockbuster autoimmune disease drug, Humira, lost its U.S. patent exclusivity in 2023. But it offset that pressure with two newer immunology drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, which it expects to generate combined sales of over $31 billion by 2027. It’s also spent more than $20 billion on acquisitions over the past three years to diversify its portfolio.