Cowen’s Top Defensive Stocks to Buy in a Choppy Market

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By Trey Thoelcke Published
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The violent moves in the market are making some people nervous, and probably making momentum stock traders sick to their stomachs. High beta names are the first to rise in a good market and the first to fall hard in a bad one. In a new Cowen report focusing on three separate industries, the top names to buy in the multi-industry sector stick out as solid names to hold during difficult times. Despite the stock market gyrations, a positive jobless report combined with solid economic numbers mean that growth may soon be better than anticipated.

Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) announced recently that Mistral Midstream has selected Honeywell’s UOP Russell modular equipment to recover valuable natural gas liquids from natural gas produced in southern Saskatchewan, Canada. This is just another arrow in the quiver for investors seeking companies with a broad range of products and services to offer their customers. Honeywell is the epitome of a diversified technology and manufacturing company, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. Investors are paid a 2% dividend. The Cowen price target for the stock is $102. The Thomson/First Call Wall Street estimate is at $103.20. Honeywell shares closed Thursday at $91.34.

Moog Inc. (NYSE: MOG-A) makes the Cowen list and is a worldwide designer, manufacturer and integrator of precision control components and systems. Moog’s high-performance systems control military and commercial aircraft, satellites and space vehicles, launch vehicles, missiles, automated industrial machinery, wind turbines and marine and medical equipment. This is exactly the kind of diversity that makes the multi-industry sector so attractive for investors now. The Cowen price target is $80, and the consensus target it $73. The stock closed Thursday at $62 a share.

Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee and Textron Systems. Investors are paid a small 0.2% dividend. The Cowen target is set at $47, and the consensus estimate is lower at $42.69. Textron closed Thursday at $37.97.

Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) is the world’s largest pure-play fire protection and security company. Many investors are familiar with the popular ADT security systems. Tyco provides more than three million customers around the globe with the latest fire protection and security products and services. Tyco has more than 65,000 employees across 50 countries serving various end markets, including commercial, institutional, governmental, retail, industrial, energy, residential and small business. The company also recently completed the sale of its 49% residual interest in its former electrical and metal products business, Atkore International, in a cash deal valued at around $250 million. Investors are paid a 1.7% dividend. The Cowen price target is $46, while the consensus target is $45.14. Tyco closed Thursday at $40.98.

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) is a top industrial name to buy at Cowen and rounds out the top five multi-industry stock to buy. United Technologies provides high-technology products and services to aerospace industries and building systems worldwide. Its segments are UTC Climate, Otis, Controls & Security, UTC Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky. Investors receive a 2.0% dividend. The Cowen price target is $128, and the consensus figure is $126.75. United Technologies closed Thursday at $114.56.

The more volatility that comes into the market, the more investors may gravitate to these solid growth stocks that have far lower beta. Each company shares the diversification of a wide and deep product and customer list. This diversification, especially among multiple industries, can drive superior earnings growth. It also can help drive share prices higher if the economy firms in a meaningful way this summer and fall.

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About the Author Trey Thoelcke →

Trey has been an editor and author at 24/7 Wall St. for more than a decade, where he has published thousands of articles analyzing corporate earnings, dividend stocks, short interest, insider buying, private equity, and market trends. His comprehensive coverage spans the full spectrum of financial markets, from blue-chip stalwarts to emerging growth companies.

Beyond 24/7 Wall St., Trey has created and edited financial content for Benzinga and AOL's BloggingStocks, contributing additional hundreds of articles to the investment community. He previously oversaw the 24/7 Climate Insights site, managing editorial operations and content strategy, and currently oversees and creates content for My Investing News.

Trey's editorial expertise extends across multiple publishing environments. He served as production editor at Dearborn Financial Publishing and development editor at Kaplan, where he helped shape financial education materials. Earlier in his career, he worked as a writer-producer at SVE. His freelance editing portfolio includes work for prestigious clients such as Sage Publications, Rand McNally, the Institute for Supply Management, the American Library Association, Eggplant Literary Productions, and Spiegel.

Outside of financial journalism, Trey writes fiction and has been an active member of the writing community for years, overseeing a long-running critique group and moderating workshop sessions at regional conventions. He lives with his family in an old house in the Midwest.

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