Top Consumer Defensive Stocks by Return on Equity
Top consumer defensive companies ranked by return on equity, latest annual filings.
What Return on Equity Means for Consumer Defensive Companies
Return on Equity divides net income by shareholder equity. In consumer defensive, staples firms typically post elevated ratios because well-established brands generate steady earnings while decades of retained earnings and aggressive buyback programs have kept the equity base modest. The combination produces Return on Equity figures that look flattering but owe as much to capital-return history as to operating strength in any single year.
Why It Matters Less in Consumer Defensive
Staples Return on Equity reflects brand power and pricing durability through cycles, which deserves credit. At the same time, sustained buybacks shrink the equity denominator and inflate the ratio even in years of flat earnings, which is a particular pattern in this sector because mature staples firms have generated surplus cash for many years. DuPont decomposition and multi-year earnings trajectory reveal whether a strong reading reflects genuine operating excellence or accumulated capital-return effects.
What to Read Alongside
Pair Return on Equity with Net Income to see the absolute profit trend, Long-term Debt to check leverage, and Share Buybacks to see how capital return shapes the equity base.
| # | Symbol | Company | Sector | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KMB | Kimberly-Clark Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 134.55% | $66.54B |
| 2 | SYY | Sysco Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 65.90% | $37.84B |
| 3 | UL | Unilever PLC | Consumer Defensive | 60.97% | $142.12B |
| 4 | MICC | The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. | Consumer Defensive | 46.88% | $11.74B |
| 5 | KO | The Coca-Cola Company | Consumer Defensive | 40.74% | $411.56B |
| 6 | PEP | PepsiCo, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 40.38% | $192.61B |
| 7 | SFM | Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 37.32% | $4.53B |
| 8 | DLTR | Dollar Tree, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 34.16% | $24.61B |
| 9 | PG | The Procter & Gamble Company | Consumer Defensive | 29.67% | $383.36B |
| 10 | PPC | Pilgrim's Pride Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 29.41% | $6.79B |
| 11 | LOPE | Grand Canyon Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 28.94% | $3.00B |
| 12 | FIZZ | National Beverage Corp. | Consumer Defensive | 28.89% | $3.48B |
| 13 | BJ | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 26.32% | $13.82B |
| 14 | PXED | Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 25.80% | $718.50M |
| 15 | COST | Costco Wholesale Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 25.77% | $466.86B |
| 16 | CCEP | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC | Consumer Defensive | 24.79% | $50.97B |
| 17 | LAUR | Laureate Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 23.71% | $4.56B |
| 18 | JBS | JBS N.V. | Consumer Defensive | 23.26% | $13.37B |
| 19 | AKO-A | Embotelladora Andina S.A. | Consumer Defensive | 23.22% | $3.99B |
| 20 | MNST | Monster Beverage Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 23.08% | $89.50B |
| 21 | TGT | Target Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 22.92% | $71.97B |
| 22 | DDL | Dingdong (Cayman) Limited | Consumer Defensive | 22.26% | $391.40M |
| 23 | WMT | Walmart Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 21.98% | $995.84B |
| 24 | NGVC | Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 21.87% | $659.35M |
| 25 | STZ | Constellation Brands, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 20.87% | $24.02B |
| 26 | LRN | Stride, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 20.72% | $3.15B |
| 27 | NUS | Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 19.90% | $199.57M |
| 28 | IPAR | Interparfums, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 19.12% | $4.34B |
| 29 | HSY | The Hershey Company | Consumer Defensive | 19.05% | $35.79B |
| 30 | CHD | Church & Dwight Co., Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 18.41% | $25.81B |
| 31 | MZTI | The Marzetti Company | Consumer Defensive | 18.19% | $2.86B |
| 32 | DEO | Diageo plc | Consumer Defensive | 18.01% | $55.56B |
| 33 | BF | Brown-Forman Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 17.79% | $14.44B |
| 34 | DG | Dollar General Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 17.77% | $29.51B |
| 35 | ABEV | Ambev S.A. | Consumer Defensive | 17.63% | $43.01B |
| 36 | CVSA | Covista Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 17.40% | $3.67B |
| 37 | KR | The Kroger Co. | Consumer Defensive | 17.14% | $39.98B |
| 38 | INGR | Ingredion Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | 17.06% | $5.72B |
| 39 | BTI | British American Tobacco p.l.c. | Consumer Defensive | 16.87% | $130.83B |
| 40 | KOF | Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. | Consumer Defensive | 16.31% | $24.04B |
| 41 | JBSS | John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 16.30% | $642.67M |
| 42 | LW | Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 15.89% | $7.61B |
| 43 | USFD | US Foods Holding Corp. | Consumer Defensive | 15.70% | $22.90B |
| 44 | SENEA | Seneca Foods Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 15.16% | $1.02B |
| 45 | SFD | Smithfield Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 14.51% | $7.60B |
| 46 | TAL | TAL Education Group | Consumer Defensive | 14.06% | $5.64B |
| 47 | MKC | McCormick & Company, Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | 13.76% | $13.02B |
| 48 | KVUE | Kenvue Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 13.66% | $37.11B |
| 49 | FMX | Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. | Consumer Defensive | 13.49% | $44.24B |
| 50 | SAM | The Boston Beer Company, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 12.82% | $2.24B |
| 51 | OLLI | Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 12.74% | $5.37B |
| 52 | CALM | Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 12.03% | $3.02B |
| 53 | CHEF | The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 11.97% | $4.51B |
| 54 | EDU | New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 11.92% | $8.53B |
| 55 | ACI | Albertsons Companies, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 11.84% | $6.02B |
| 56 | FRPT | Freshpet, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 11.51% | $3.11B |
| 57 | PSMT | PriceSmart, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 11.45% | $5.02B |
| 58 | CPB | The Campbell's Company | Consumer Defensive | 10.47% | $6.90B |
| 59 | CENT | Central Garden & Pet Company | Consumer Defensive | 10.29% | $2.99B |
| 60 | VLGEA | Village Super Market, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 9.95% | $610.32M |
| 61 | MDLZ | Mondelez International, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 9.49% | $83.57B |
| 62 | CHSCL | CHS Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 9.41% | – |
| 63 | CCU | Compañía Cervecerías Unidas S.A. | Consumer Defensive | 9.33% | $2.00B |
| 64 | CELH | Celsius Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 9.14% | $8.06B |
| 65 | POST | Post Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 8.94% | $3.65B |
| 66 | KDP | Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 8.15% | $49.85B |
| 67 | BUD | Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV | Consumer Defensive | 7.83% | $165.33B |
| 68 | ANDE | The Andersons, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 7.69% | $1.86B |
| 69 | STRA | Strategic Education, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 7.69% | $1.14B |
| 70 | PFGC | Performance Food Group Company | Consumer Defensive | 7.33% | $16.96B |
| 71 | WMK | Weis Markets, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 6.93% | $1.92B |
| 72 | JJSF | J&J Snack Foods Corp. | Consumer Defensive | 6.79% | $1.68B |
| 73 | FLO | Flowers Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 6.43% | $1.42B |
| 74 | AVO | Mission Produce, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 6.42% | $1.02B |
| 75 | HRL | Hormel Foods Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 6.05% | $12.08B |
| 76 | NOMD | Nomad Foods Limited | Consumer Defensive | 5.48% | $1.64B |
| 77 | SPB | Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 5.23% | $1.99B |
| 78 | UNFI | United Natural Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 5.18% | $2.72B |
| 79 | IMKTA | Ingles Markets, Incorporated | Consumer Defensive | 5.17% | $1.56B |
| 80 | BG | Bunge Global SA | Consumer Defensive | 5.13% | $19.04B |
| 81 | MH | McGraw Hill, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 4.86% | $2.08B |
| 82 | EL | The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 4.78% | $39.88B |
| 83 | ADM | Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | Consumer Defensive | 4.74% | $33.30B |
| 84 | DMC | Del Monte Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 4.50% | $1.29B |
| 85 | DOLE | Dole plc | Consumer Defensive | 3.76% | $1.31B |
| 86 | TSN | Tyson Foods, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 2.62% | $21.00B |
| 87 | ELF | e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 2.33% | $6.87B |
| 88 | UVV | Universal Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 2.31% | $982.37M |
| 89 | PRMB | Primo Brands Corporation | Consumer Defensive | 2.01% | $8.10B |
| 90 | EPC | Edgewell Personal Care Company | Consumer Defensive | 1.64% | $1.29B |
| 91 | DAR | Darling Ingredients Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 1.33% | $7.92B |
| 92 | DIT | AMCON Distributing Company | Consumer Defensive | 0.50% | $60.81M |
| 93 | UTZ | Utz Brands, Inc. | Consumer Defensive | 0.11% | $1.26B |
No companies match this search.
Companies with return on equity above 500%, or shareholder equity below 1% of total assets, are excluded: when equity is near zero the ratio becomes unstable and unrepresentative. Ratio rankings also require at least $1B in annual revenue.
How this ranking is built
Companies are ranked by return on equity 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.
- Size floor: A company qualifies at $1 billion in annual revenue or above, so a small filer with a freak ratio cannot top the list.
- Value range: Only figures above 0% and up to 500% qualify.
- Market cap: stated at each company's latest close, which is newer than the annual figure ranked here.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Why do mature consumer defensive firms often show very high Return on Equity?
Established staples brands generate steady profit on modest incremental capital because distribution networks, manufacturing plants, and brand equity are already in place. Decades of retained earnings and large buyback programs have often reduced the equity base substantially relative to ongoing earnings, which inflates Return on Equity mechanically. A ratio that looks exceptional may reflect capital-return history as much as current operating efficiency, so trends over time tell the more meaningful story.
How do private-label competitors affect consumer defensive Return on Equity?
Private-label products, typically sold under retailer brands at lower prices, compress branded manufacturers' pricing power and margin. Extended periods of private-label share gain can erode the Return on Equity of category leaders even as headline figures remain elevated from past buybacks. Reading Return on Equity alongside volume growth, market share trends, and gross margin trajectory surfaces whether strong ratios are durable or quietly deteriorating beneath the surface.
Why are commodity input costs relevant to interpreting staples Return on Equity?
Staples firms rely on commodities like wheat, sugar, dairy, aluminum, and oil derivatives whose prices move independently of consumer demand. Sharp commodity spikes compress margins before firms can pass pricing through to retailers, temporarily depressing Return on Equity. The reverse is also true when commodities fall. Evaluating Return on Equity over multi-year windows averages out input-cost volatility and reveals underlying operating efficiency more reliably than any single year.