My Top 20 Defensive Stock Plays

by Ryan Mallory

Here is my list of top defensive plays in this highly volatile market. If you're looking for some nice defensive stocks to go along with the rest of your long positions in the portfolio, then take a look at the list of stocks below that are more defensive than growth oriented. They are stocks that shouldn't see a lot of volatility and won't fall through the floor, should this market experience some additional selling going forward. In essence, these stocks represent a good balance of companies that are dependable, stable, usually collect a respectable dividend and hold their value all at the same time.

The two stocks that I really gravitate to on the list is Merck & Co. (MRK) and McDonalds (MCD). The former has the potential to be a huge breakout opportunity should it cross the $37.65 threshold. The latter, has seen a significant run up over the past two months, and of late has pulled back nicely to the recent trend line offering an very appealing risk/reward setup. 

Here are My Top 20 Big-Cap Stock Plays.