Biggest CapEx Consumer Defensive Stocks
Top consumer defensive companies ranked by capital expenditures, latest annual filings.
What Capital Expenditures Mean for Consumer Defensive Companies
Capital expenditures in consumer defensive fund manufacturing plants, distribution networks, and the process automation that keeps unit costs competitive against private-label alternatives on retail shelves. Staples producers run relatively steady capex programs rather than cyclical ones, because routine household demand does not fluctuate sharply with the economy, giving management unusual visibility on when capacity additions will earn back the capital committed to them.
Why Capital Expenditures Matter
Capex funds the productivity improvements that offset commodity input inflation and the scale that supports pricing discipline with retailers. Still, capex in mature staples categories rarely grows the market; it typically defends share in a zero-sum game where private-label and discount channels continue pressuring branded manufacturers. A firm spending heavily on capacity in a flat category may simply be maintaining position rather than expanding it, which changes how the returns on that investment are best interpreted.
What to Read Alongside
Pair capex with Free Cash Flow to see what remains after reinvestment, Net Income for the profit the asset base produces, and Long-term Debt because large investments are often partly debt-financed.
| # | Symbol | Company | Sector | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WMT | Walmart Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $26.64B | $891.86B |
| 2 | COST | Costco Wholesale Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $5.50B | $420.93B |
| 3 | PEP | PepsiCo, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $4.42B | $188.96B |
| 4 | PG | Procter & Gamble Company | Consumer Defensive | $4.41B | $341.62B |
| 5 | KR | The Kroger Co. | Consumer Defensive | $3.85B | $35.12B |
| 6 | TGT | Target Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $3.73B | $66.80B |
| 7 | BUD | Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV | Consumer Defensive | $3.66B | $165.35B |
| 8 | FMX | Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. | Consumer Defensive | $2.14B | $41.62B |
| 9 | KO | Coca-Cola Company | Consumer Defensive | $2.11B | $373.68B |
| 10 | JBS | JBS N.V. | Consumer Defensive | $2.10B | $45.03B |
| 11 | ACI | Albertsons Companies, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $1.84B | $5.86B |
| 12 | BG | Bunge Global SA | Consumer Defensive | $1.72B | $20.94B |
| 13 | PM | Philip Morris International Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $1.57B | $293.10B |
| 14 | MDLZ | Mondelez International, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $1.28B | $80.09B |
| 15 | ADM | Archer Daniels Midland Company | Consumer Defensive | $1.25B | $37.36B |
| 16 | DG | Dollar General Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $1.24B | $28.11B |
| 17 | KMB | Kimberly-Clark Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $1.14B | $36.14B |
| 18 | DLTR | Dollar Tree, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $1.13B | $24.92B |
| 19 | TSN | Tyson Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.98B | $20.59B |
| 20 | SYY | Sysco Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.91B | $40.37B |
| 21 | STZ | Constellation Brands, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.88B | $22.63B |
| 22 | KHC | The Kraft Heinz Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.80B | $29.60B |
| 23 | TAP | Molson Coors Beverage Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.72B | $7.92B |
| 24 | BJ | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.70B | $12.41B |
| 25 | K | Kellanova | Consumer Defensive | $0.63B | $29.03B |
| 26 | EL | The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.60B | $30.93B |
| 27 | CL | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.56B | $74.14B |
| 28 | GIS | General Mills, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.54B | $19.25B |
| 29 | POST | Post Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.51B | $4.09B |
| 30 | PFGC | Performance Food Group Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.51B | $18.00B |
| 31 | KDP | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.49B | $41.33B |
| 32 | KVUE | Kenvue Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.47B | $36.83B |
| 33 | HSY | The Hershey Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.45B | $36.77B |
| 34 | INGR | Ingredion Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | $0.43B | $6.49B |
| 35 | CPB | The Campbell's Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.43B | $6.73B |
| 36 | CAG | Conagra Brands, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.42B | $7.11B |
| 37 | USFD | US Foods Holding Corp. | Consumer Defensive | $0.41B | $23.56B |
| 38 | LW | Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.40B | $7.16B |
| 39 | DAR | DARLING INGREDIENTS INC. | Consumer Defensive | $0.38B | $9.62B |
| 40 | PRMB | Primo Brands Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.38B | $8.66B |
| 41 | SFD | Smithfield Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.34B | $9.87B |
| 42 | SJM | The J. M. Smucker Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.32B | $12.70B |
| 43 | COKE | Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.31B | $12.53B |
| 44 | HRL | Hormel Foods Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.31B | $13.81B |
| 45 | AGRO | Adecoagro S.A. | Consumer Defensive | $0.26B | $1.35B |
| 46 | PPC | Pilgrim's Pride Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.25B | $6.56B |
| 47 | SFM | Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.25B | $8.13B |
| 48 | NWL | Newell Brands Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.25B | $2.56B |
| 49 | EDU | New Oriental Education and Technology Group, Inc. American | Consumer Defensive | $0.24B | $9.04B |
| 50 | ANDE | The Andersons, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.23B | $2.31B |
| 51 | UNFI | United Natural Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.23B | $2.90B |
| 52 | MKC | McCormick & Company, Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | $0.22B | $14.06B |
| 53 | CLX | Clorox Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.22B | $12.77B |
| 54 | MO | Altria Group, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.22B | $113.13B |
| 55 | COTY | Coty Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.21B | $2.39B |
| 56 | WMK | Weis Markets, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.20B | $1.89B |
| 57 | GO | Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. | Consumer Defensive | $0.20B | $0.96B |
| 58 | PSMT | PriceSmart, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.16B | $5.50B |
| 59 | CALM | Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.15B | $3.98B |
| 60 | FRPT | Freshpet, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.15B | $3.21B |
| 61 | SPTN | SpartanNash Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.13B | $0.91B |
| 62 | MNST | Monster Beverage Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.13B | $92.09B |
| 63 | KLG | WK Kellogg Co | Consumer Defensive | $0.13B | $1.99B |
| 64 | KLC | KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.13B | $0.61B |
| 65 | FLO | Flowers Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.13B | $1.53B |
| 66 | CHD | Church & Dwight Co., Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.12B | $24.52B |
| 67 | DOLE | Dole plc | Consumer Defensive | $0.12B | $1.31B |
| 68 | IMKTA | Ingles Markets, Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | $0.11B | $1.65B |
| 69 | LAUR | Laureate Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.10B | $5.14B |
| 70 | UTZ | Utz Brands, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.10B | $1.25B |
| 71 | OLLI | Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.10B | $4.71B |
| 72 | DNUT | Krispy Kreme, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.10B | $0.56B |
| 73 | TAL | TAL Education Group | Consumer Defensive | $0.09B | $6.91B |
| 74 | WEST | Westrock Coffee Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.09B | $0.79B |
| 75 | LINC | Lincoln Educational Services Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.09B | $1.25B |
| 76 | MH | McGraw Hill, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $2.21B |
| 77 | JJSF | J&J Snack Foods Corp. | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $1.71B |
| 78 | VITL | Vital Farms, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $0.54B |
| 79 | HLF | Herbalife Ltd. | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $1.21B |
| 80 | CVSA | Covista Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $4.23B |
| 81 | EPC | Edgewell Personal Care Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.08B | $1.30B |
| 82 | DMC | Del Monte Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.06B | $1.41B |
| 83 | VLGEA | Village Super Market, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.06B | $0.64B |
| 84 | MZTI | The Marzetti Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.06B | $3.02B |
| 85 | SAM | The Boston Beer Company, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.05B | $1.88B |
| 86 | AVO | Mission Produce, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.05B | $1.11B |
| 87 | JBSS | John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.05B | $0.98B |
| 88 | ATGE | Adtalem Global Education Inc | Consumer Defensive | $0.05B | $3.40B |
| 89 | UVV | Universal Corporation | Consumer Defensive | $0.05B | $1.27B |
| 90 | STRA | Strategic Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $1.86B |
| 91 | UTI | Universal Technical Institute, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $1.53B |
| 92 | CHEF | The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $4.45B |
| 93 | CENT | Central Garden & Pet Company | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $2.91B |
| 94 | HELE | Helen of Troy Limited | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $0.67B |
| 95 | SPB | Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $2.03B |
| 96 | CELH | Celsius Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.04B | $6.08B |
| 97 | LOPE | Grand Canyon Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.03B | $3.88B |
| 98 | TR | Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.03B | $2.99B |
| 99 | NGVC | Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | $0.03B | $0.75B |
| 100 | STKL | SunOpta Inc | Consumer Defensive | $0.03B | $0.77B |
No companies match this search.
How this ranking is built
Companies are ranked by capital expenditures as reported in their most recent annual filing with the SEC. Figures shown are in US dollars (or percent, as noted), rounded to two decimals.
- Source: annual 10-K / 20-F filings from companies trading on US exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq, AMEX).
- Fiscal year: whichever annual period the company has most recently filed. Fiscal years don't always align with the calendar year, so the "as of FY" stamp above reflects the most common year across the table.
- Filtered out: warrants, preferred shares, and duplicate listings that share a parent company's financials.
- Update cadence: refreshed as companies file new annual reports (typically within 60–90 days of fiscal year end).
Not financial advice. This is a research tool, not a recommendation.