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Article Excerpt

Consumer defensive companies such as Walmart, Proctor & Gamble, and Nestle provide basic goods that consumers need even during a recession. It is therefore not surprising that these companies have relatively stable revenue and profit histories and can maintain their dividends during tough economic times. In addition, the consumer defensive group also consistently holds up well during bear markets—a feat that is only matched by a few other segments such as healthcare and utilities. Sector performance during tough times When investor panic sets in, stocks go down leaving few places to hide. However, below the headline index declines, there can be huge variations in the performance of individual segments—and the performance depends on the factors that drive the bear market. In the table below, we analyzed the previous four main bear markets of this century to identify which sectors in the U.S. markets performed better than others during severe equity market downturns. During the 2000 to 2002 bear market, equities were dealt a triple blow…