Consumer Defensive Stocks (Consumer Staples)
Consumer defensive stocks, also called consumer staples, are the 215 companies GNG Research tracks that sell everyday goods such as packaged foods, household and personal products, drinks and groceries. 83 of them pay a dividend, with a median forward yield of 3.27% among payers. The largest by market cap are Walmart (WMT), Costco Wholesale (COST) and The Coca-Cola Company (KO). State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP), the sector proxy used here, has a total return of +12.9% in 2026 through Oct 14, 2026, against +13.8% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
Prices and yields use the latest available records. Returns through Oct 14, 2026.
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Consumer Staples Dividend Stocks
Companies worth at least $1B with a forward yield up to 25%, one listing per company.
- 7.87%
Largest Consumer Staples Stocks
Companies ranked by reported market capitalization, one listing per company.
- $921.58B
- $435.15B
- $387.70B
- $355.73B
- $176.16B
- $154.81B
- $137.53B
- $122.11B
Consumer Staples Sector Performance
Calendar-year total returns of State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) and the S&P 500 (SPY), with dividends reinvested.
Total returns from daily closes with dividends reinvested and splits applied, using State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) as the sector proxy and SPY for the S&P 500. 2026 is year to date through Oct 14, 2026.
Growth of $10,000 in XLP
A $10,000 investment in State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) at the start of 2010, with dividends reinvested, against the same amount in the S&P 500 (SPY).
$10,000 invested in XLP at the start of 2010 grew to $50,942 by Oct 14, 2026 with dividends reinvested, against $92,848 in SPY.
Consumer Staples by Industry
One listing per company; preferred shares, notes and funds are left out.
Consumer Staples ETFs
Funds that hold consumer staples stocks. XLP is the sector proxy for the returns on this page; yields and expense ratios are the figures each fund's page shows.
Consumer Staples Stocks List
All 215 consumer staples stocks GNG Research tracks, largest first. Yield is the trailing 12-month dividend yield each stock page shows.
Showing 100 of 215 companies
About Consumer Defensive
Consumer defensive companies, often called consumer staples, sell everyday goods such as packaged foods, drinks, household and personal products and tobacco, and run grocery and discount stores.
People keep buying these goods in weak economies, so the sector's sales are usually steadier than most. On this page it also includes education and training companies.
Research Consumer Staples Stocks
- Screen consumer staples stocks by dividend yield, payout ratio and valuation in the free dividend stock screener. A free account is required, and the View in Research Terminal button above loads every company on this page.
- Open any company for its full stock analysis, or its dividend page for ex-dividend dates and payment history, such as the WMT dividend history.
- Chart a company's P/E ratio, price and dividends over time with Advanced Charting, free with a free GNG account.
- Test a portfolio of consumer staples stocks or sector ETFs with the free dividend portfolio backtest tool.
- Project the dividend income from consumer staples stocks in the Dividend Forecaster (Pro Lite and up).
- Follow the companies you are researching in a free watchlist.
Other Stock Sectors
Median forward dividend yield among each sector's dividend payers, and each sector ETF's total return this year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are consumer staples stocks?
Consumer defensive companies, often called consumer staples, sell everyday goods such as packaged foods, drinks, household and personal products and tobacco, and run grocery and discount stores. GNG Research tracks 215 consumer staples stocks.
Is consumer defensive the same as consumer staples?
Mostly. GNG Research uses the sector name Consumer Defensive for the companies most index providers call consumer staples, such as packaged foods, drinks, household products, grocers and tobacco. One difference: education and training companies are listed in this sector here.
Which consumer staples stocks pay the highest dividends?
Among consumer staples stocks worth at least $1 billion with forward yields up to 25%, the highest forward dividend yields are Flowers Foods (FLO) at 8.38%, Universal (UVV) at 8.16% and JBS at 7.87%. 83 consumer staples stocks on this page pay a dividend, with a median forward yield of 3.27%.
What are the largest consumer staples stocks by market cap?
Walmart (WMT), Costco Wholesale (COST) and The Coca-Cola Company (KO) are the largest consumer staples stocks by market cap, at $921.58B, $435.15B and $387.70B.
How has the consumer staples sector performed?
State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP), used here as the sector proxy, returned +12.9% in 2026 through Oct 14, 2026 and +1.5% in 2025, with dividends reinvested. The S&P 500 (SPY) returned +13.8% and +17.7% over the same periods.
All Consumer Defensive stocks covered by GNG
Market data is provided for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. GNG Research's proprietary safety, quality, and valuation scores are available to members on each stock page.
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