Top 15 Consumer Defensive Stocks Right Now
Marvin's rules picked 15 Consumer Defensive stocks, led by Smithfield Foods, Altria and Perdoceo Education. They span packaged food, tobacco, retail and education, ranked by Overall score relative to industry peers.
Consumer Defensive companies sell things people tend to keep buying in good times and bad, such as food, household goods, drinks and basic retail. This list shows the 15 stocks in that sector that Marvin's rules rank highest right now.
The list is mixed. It includes food makers, tobacco companies, discount and grocery retailers, personal care brands and education providers. Each business earns money differently. Retailers usually have thin margins, while tobacco and personal care firms usually have wide ones. Compare figures with that in mind.
Marvin's scores only describe how a company compares with others in its own industry today. They are not a forecast. Read each pick's caution, since several have weak or missing figures.
The list
How Marvin ranked these stocks
Marvin looked at Consumer Defensive companies above a minimum size and ranked them by Overall score, highest first, with at most 4 per industry. Scores run on a scale out of a hundred and are relative to each company's own industry, so a high score means a company looks strong against its industry peers, not against every company in the sector. The data is as of October 2026.
Companies above about $300 million in size, ranked by Marvin scores (0-100, relative to each company's own industry). The Consumer Defensive sector, highest Overall score first; at most 4 per industry.
The stocks, one by one
Smithfield Foods, Inc. SFD
Smithfield Foods tops the list with an Overall score of 96 in packaged foods. Revenue grew 9.8% last fiscal year, and debt-to-equity is a low 0.26. Caution: the operating margin of 8.6% is modest, and free cash flow margin data is not available.
Altria Group, Inc. MO
Altria scores 95 overall in tobacco. Its operating margin of 46.8% and free cash flow margin of 38.8% point to very high profitability. Caution: revenue growth was -3.1%, meaning sales shrank, and return on equity and debt figures are unavailable.
Perdoceo Education Corporation PRDO
Perdoceo Education grew revenue 24.2% last fiscal year and earned an operating margin of 24.6%, with return on equity of 17.1%. Those are healthy signs. Caution: gross margin and debt-to-equity are not available, so the picture of its finances is incomplete.
The Procter & Gamble Company PG
Procter & Gamble has a Quality score of 96, with an operating margin of 22.7% and return on equity of 29.5%, signs of strong profitability. Caution: revenue growth was only 3.3%, and its Opportunity score of 63 is the lowest on this list.
Bunge Global S.A. BG
Bunge grew revenue 32.4% last fiscal year and has an Opportunity score of 94. Caution: gross margin is only 4.4%, return on equity is 4.3%, and free cash flow margin was -1.4%, below zero. Operating margin is unavailable.
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. JBSS
John B. Sanfilippo & Son carries little debt, with debt-to-equity of 0.20, and has a return on equity of 16.3%. Revenue grew 6.2%. Caution: the operating margin of 7.6% and free cash flow margin of 3.0% are thin.
PepsiCo, Inc. PEP
PepsiCo has a return on equity of 48.9% and an operating margin of 15.3%. Caution: revenue grew just 2.3%, and debt-to-equity of 2.54 is the highest on this list, so its high return on equity comes with a lot of borrowing.
Philip Morris International Inc. PM
Philip Morris International shows an operating margin of 37.7% and a free cash flow margin of 29.9%, with revenue growth of 7.3%. Caution: return on equity and debt-to-equity are unavailable, so its debt load can't be judged from this data.
Village Super Market, Inc. VLGEA
Village Super Market has an Opportunity score of 93 but a Quality score of 77. Its operating margin of 2.7% reflects the thin margins typical of grocery stores. Revenue grew 3.7%. Caution: thin margins leave little room for error.
Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR
Darling Ingredients has a Quality score of 89, an operating margin of 14.5% and moderate debt, with debt-to-equity of 0.78. Revenue grew 7.4%. Caution: free cash flow margin is not available, so cash generation can't be checked.
Target Corporation TGT
Target has the highest Opportunity score here at 95, and return on equity of 24.6%. Caution: its Quality score of 58 is the lowest on the list, revenue growth was -1.7%, meaning sales shrank, and its operating margin is only 5.6%.
Strategic Education, Inc. STRA
Strategic Education has an operating margin of 14.0% and a free cash flow margin of 13.1%, which suggest decent profitability. Caution: revenue growth of 4.0% and return on equity of 8.2% are modest, and gross margin and debt data are unavailable.
Dollar Tree, Inc. DLTR
Dollar Tree grew revenue 10.4% last fiscal year, with an operating margin of 11.0% and return on equity of 47.1%. Caution: debt-to-equity of 2.24 is high, so the strong return on equity comes with a heavier debt load.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated MKC
McCormick has a gross margin of 39.1%, an operating margin of 13.4% and return on equity of 21.3%, which suggest solid profitability. Caution: revenue growth was a very slow 1.7%, and free cash flow margin is not available.
Inter Parfums, Inc. IPAR
Inter Parfums has a gross margin of 63.8%, an operating margin of 17.3% and the lowest debt on this list, with debt-to-equity of 0.19. Caution: revenue growth was only 2.5%, and its Overall score of 86 is the lowest of the group.
Common questions
What does Consumer Defensive mean?
It is a sector of companies that sell everyday necessities such as food, drinks, household products and basic retail. People tend to keep buying these items in any economy, so demand is usually steadier than for luxury goods. That does not make any single stock risk-free.
Why do some stocks on this list have missing figures?
Not every company reports every measure in a comparable way. Some stocks here have no free cash flow margin, gross margin, return on equity or debt figure. Marvin only cites figures it has, and each blurb notes when something is missing.
Does a high Overall score mean a stock is a good one to buy?
No. Marvin's scores only show how a company compares with others in its own industry today. They do not predict future results or say whether a stock is right for you. Use them as a starting point for your own research.
Keep reading
- Top 15 Consumer Defensive Stocks by Marvin Opportunity Score
- Top 15 Consumer Defensive Companies by Business Quality
- Top 15 Packaged Foods Stocks by Marvin Score
- Top 20 Defensive Stocks Ranked by Marvin Business Quality
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Marvin's scores (0-100) compare each company with others in its industry today. Growth and margin figures come from SEC filings. This is general information, not personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell anything. Do your own research.