During the most recent market correction, indexes lost up to 21%, while some stocks fell only 6%. Here’s which ones and why they could do the same in the next crash.
If the market were to actually crash tomorrow, which stocks would you already have in your portfolio? This question is increasingly common now that, from recent market highs, global indices have lost 5-7%, enough to raise the suspicion that this is just the first sign of weakness. You don’t need to be catastrophic to imagine such a scenario: just look at how it’s gone every time in financial history. Markets rise, tighten, heat up, and then, punctually, retreat. The point isn’t predicting when the next shock will arrive, but what to do when prices actually start to slide.
That’s where the difference lies between those who remain trapped in fear and those who turn a decline into an opportunity. The stocks that hold up well during market downturns have a common trait: they sell products we don’t stop buying even in tense moments, they generate cash even when the markets are in the red, and they have brands so well-established that they don’t lose their appeal even when investors’ moods change. These are stocks like Coca-Cola, the ones that don’t promise sudden rallies but help you stay balanced during times of fluctuation.
Here are five stocks that, more than others, tend to outperform on the downside when the market decides to test investors.
1) Coca-Cola
When markets start to lose balance, Coca-Cola is a sure thing. It’s no coincidence that it’s one of the stocks always present in Warren Buffett’s portfolio. It’s not just a question of history or the brand’s allure, but of everyday life: people continue to buy it because it’s a habit, almost a ritual. Even when the economy slows and investors become more cautious, its business remains resilient.
Coca-Cola recorded net revenues of approximately $12.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025, up 5% year-over-year; organic growth was 6%. Operating income increased by 59%, and the operating margin stood at 32%, compared to 21.2% the previous year.
Over the years, it has built an impeccable operating machine, capable of navigating decades of economic cycles without losing its way. Consistent dividends, stable margins, and distribution that reaches every corner of the world do the rest. In a portfolio that aims to remain solid even when the waves hit, Coca-Cola is often the first choice.
2) Nestlé
In Europe, Nestlé is one of those names that needs no introduction. Coffee, water, chocolate, pet food: categories so ingrained in daily life that they remain unchanged even when consumer confidence falters. It is this stability that makes the stock one of the most attractive during downturns.
Nestlé closed the third quarter of 2025 with organic sales growth of 4.3% compared to the previous year. It has already confirmed its full-year guidance and reported an operating margin of 16% or higher.
The group’s ability to adjust prices without losing demand and its global presence protect the stock from volatility.
3) Diageo
The premium spirits sector tends to be less cyclical, almost independent of market sentiment. People change many habits when the economy slows, but a good whisky or a branded gin remain small pleasures that are difficult to pass up. And Diageo has a portfolio of globally recognized brands and the ability to maintain high margins even in the most challenging times. It’s a stock that doesn’t show outsized upside swings, but it barely slows down on the downside.
The fundamentals are also solid: Diageo presented preliminary results for June 2025 with operating cash flow of approximately $4.3 billion, while free cash flow reached $2.7 billion.
4) Enel
In Italy, there is one stock that more than any other embodies stability in challenging times: Enel. Electricity demand is largely inelastic for both households and businesses. And this creates a revenue base that doesn’t disappear as soon as the first sales arrive on the markets. With a growing share of renewables and an international reach that dilutes risks, Enel manages to maintain a steady course even when indices decline.
Enel closed the first half of 2025 with revenues of €40.816 billion, up 5.4% compared to the first half of 2024 (38.731 billion).
In downturns, it is often one of the first stocks that stabilizes quickly, which is why many investors consider it an essential presence in the long term.
5) Italgas
Also in Italy, Italgas is a stock less high-profile, yet capable of building value day after day. Its regulated business, based on essential infrastructure, is one of the most resilient to sudden market changes. Its investment plans through 2031 demonstrate a long-term vision rarely seen in the sector, with total investments of €16.5 billion, a sign of a strategy that is resistant to short-term shocks.
In the first nine months of 2025, Italgas recorded adjusted revenues and other income of €1,800.5 million, up 37.5% compared to the previous period. Adjusted EBITDA rose to €1,368.9 million (+35.6%) and adjusted EBIT reached €879.6 million (+45.2%).
When corrections arrive, Italgas tends to lose less ground than other stocks because its profitability is largely insulated from the economic cycle. It’s one of those stocks that performs best precisely when the market tests investors’ patience.
In the selloff between February and April 2025, global indices lost as much as 21%, but the strongest stocks held up much better: Coca-Cola lost half as much as the S&P 500, Nestlé maintained its value in a Swiss market in deep red (-18%), and Italgas limited the damage to a mere -6% while the FTSE MIB collapsed 19%. These numbers demonstrate, without the need for complex models, what it really means to have a downside-resistant portfolio.
|DISCLAIMER
The information and considerations contained in this article should not be used as the sole or primary basis for making investment decisions. The reader retains full freedom in their investment decisions and full responsibility for making them, as they alone know their risk appetite and investment horizon. The information contained in the article is provided for informational purposes only, and its disclosure does not constitute and should not be considered an offer or solicitation to the public.| Original article published on Money.it Italy 2025-11-19 11:23:48. Original title: 5 azioni da comprare subito, approfittando del crollo del mercato
