A bear market is a market where stock prices are falling. It’s the opposite of a bull market, where stock prices are rising. Bear markets can be caused by a number of factors, including economic recessions, political turmoil, and natural disasters.
Investors who are savvy about bear markets can make a lot of money by buying stocks when they’re cheap and selling them when they’re expensive. But it’s not always easy to find the best bear market stocks to buy. In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to find the best bear market stocks and maximize your profits.
Bear market stocks are the ones that perform well, even during bearish market times when stock prices are falling. Bear markets are the market situations when stock prices are plummeting, investor sentiments are negative, and there is a high inclination towards selling stocks rather than buying.
Despite the negative pressures of selling, bear market stocks tend to hold steady ground and survive well in the bearish times. They are considered risky and contrarian investments; however, bear market stocks can generate substantial returns if chosen wisely. They belong to companies with solid foundations that can weather economic storms efficiently.
Ticker | Company Name | Last Price | 1-Year Return | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
BUD | Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
MO | Altria Group, Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
PM | Philip Morris International Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
T | AT&T, Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
VZ | Verizon Communications, Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
AGG | iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
LQD | iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
TIP | iShares TIPS Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
HYG | iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
IEF | iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
SHY | iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
IGSB | iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
JNK | SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
IGIB | iShares Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
COST | Costco Wholesale Corporation | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
MKC | McCormick & Company, Incorporated | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
PG | The Procter & Gamble Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
K | Kellogg Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
HSY | The Hershey Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
GIS | General Mills, Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
KO | The Coca-Cola Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
PEP | PepsiCo, Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CL | Colgate-Palmolive Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CHD | Church & Dwight Co. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
LW | Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
ADM | Archer Daniels Midland | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
KHC | Kraft Heinz Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CAG | Conagra Brands Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CLX | Clorox Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
SJM | J.M. Smucker Company | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
WBA | Walgreens Boots Alliance | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
DEO | Diageo | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
KMB | Kimberley Clark | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
MDLZ | Mondelez International Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
TSN | Tyson Foods Inc. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CPB | Campbell Soup Co. | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
What is a Bear Market?
A bear market typically includes a transition from optimism to fear and pessimism among investors. A 20% decline or worse over two months is often considered the typical measure, although criteria may vary depending on the stock market index used.
Although bear markets are often associated with economic recession, a bear market can occur during periods of economic prosperity as well.
A bear market occurs when price movements are generally negative in nature, and investors bearish (i.e., pessimistic) overall on the stock market future prospects and seek to liquidate long positions or reduce them by taking short positions. In other words, a bear market consists of a downward trend where pessimism grows among investors until prices fall so much that investors bearishly take action to protect themselves from further declines โ usually selling their stocks for cash or other investments considered relatively safer at the time and thus facilitating price increases later.
Which Types of Stocks Perform Well in Bear Markets?
In bear markets, investors tend to react by changing their portfolio allocations. Common tactics include bearish reinvestment, i.e., selling stocks and investing the proceeds into bonds or other assets that bear lower interest rates to reduce risk.
Bear markets can be a good opportunity to buy companies whose stock has declined substantially in price due to investor pessimism. Investors may also use bear markets as a time for value investors (value investors typically wait for low P/E ratios before buying) to purchase companies that have shown consistent profitability and strong growth prospects, which are not currently reflected in their share prices because of bearish sentiment among investors and traders.
There are also a few sectors that perform better than others during bear markets. While luxury goods and overvalued companies may underperform, well-established companies and consumer staples may outperform their peers. For example, Procter & Gamble (PG) and AT&T (T) performed better than their peers during bear markets.
Benefits of Buying Bear Market Stocks
There are several benefits to buying bear market stocks. One benefit is that you can buy these stocks at a discount. Another benefit is that you can buy these stocks before they start to rebound. And another benefit is that you can hedge your portfolio against a market crash.
The biggest benefit of buying bear market stocks is that you can buy them at a discount. This is because when the overall market is falling, these stocks tend to fall more than the rest of the market. As a result, you can buy them for less than they’re worth. And when the market eventually rebounds, these stocks will rebound more than the rest of the market, giving you a nice profit.
If you do proper research, you can also find stocks that fare well during times when the economy and/or market is weak.
Factors to Consider Before Investing in Bear Market Stocks
There are several risks to buying bear market stocks. If you buy stocks at a “discount” there is a risk is that these stocks may never rebound. If you buy stocks that should fare well during a weaker market, you need to make sure you choose the right stocks. Even if you do, these stocks may not perform as expected and/or may stop performing well if the market turns bullish.
When you’re buying bear market stocks, it’s important to look for companies that are financially sound and have a competitive advantage. Financial soundness is important because it indicates that a company will be able to weather a bear market. And a competitive advantage is important because it gives a company a better chance of surviving a bear market.
To find out if a company is financially sound, you can look at its balance sheet. This will show you how much debt the company has and how much cash it has on hand. You can also look at the company’s cash flow statement, which will show you how much cash the company is generating from its operations. And you can look at the company’s earnings, which will show you how much profit the company is making.
To find out if a company has a competitive advantage, you can look at its market share. This will show you how much of the total market for its products or services the company has. You can also look at the company’s margins, which will show you how much profit the company is making per sale. And you can look at the company’s growth rates, which will show you how fast the company is growing.
Investing in bear market stocks is not easy. It is a complicated process that requires a lot of knowledge, patience, and information. Not all stocks hold the potential to generate returns in bearish markets. In fact, if not done after proper due diligence and analysis, investing in bear market stocks can cause huge losses.
Therefore, investors must take into consideration the ability of the companies and stocks to withstand and survive difficult economic conditions. The fundamentals of bear market stocks must be exceptionally strong, with particular emphasis on forwarding multiples and forward price-to-earnings ratio. The valuation and dividend yield of bear market stocks must also be considered before investing in them. Due to these factors, Dividend stocks and consumer staples could be safer bets during bear markets.
Which Bear Market Stocks Should I Buy?
Bear markets offer a great opportunity for investors to add valuable stocks to their portfolios while they are trading at bargain prices. We have shortlisted the best bear market stocks for you to make your selection easier as not all bear market stocks are good investments.
Investors must consider that bear market stocks are more suitable for long-term investment and require a lot of patience. Investors can gain entry through discount prices, hold stocks, and generate excellent returns in the long term. Thus, investing in bear market stocks requires patience, strategy, and extensive knowledge.