Stocks That Weathered Past Recessions: Expert Shares Picks That Withstood Every Downturn

Stock market expert Jon Erlichman recently shared a review of stock returns during the last six U.S. recessions, highlighting those that have performed well in difficult times.

In a video post and also on X, Erlichman shared his analysis of stock returns during the past six recessions in the U.S.

“The Great Recession, which was longer from 2007 to 2009. We added in the dot-com recession, the recession in the early 90s, and the recessions in the early 80s. So you look at that, you start to get a better sample size,” he said.

We reviewed stock returns in the past 6 U.S. recessions. Here's a list of stocks that have navigated well during tough times. https://t.co/vPPsxp9UUE
— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) April 18, 2025

In alphabetical order, he mentioned about stock number one, AutoZone AZO. He said that AutoZone is a great example of a stock that has done well during past recessions. Stock number two was Clorox CLX. He said that Clorox is a great example of a stock that did well during the last recession.

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The other recession proof stocks he suggested were, General Mills GIS, IBM IBM, Johnson & Johnson JNJ, J.M. Smucker SJM, McDonald’s MCD, Newmont NEM, Netflix NFLX, O’Reilly Automotive ORLY, Sherwin-Williams SHW, and Walmart WMT.

“And if you go back through all these six recessions, this is the stock that really stands out as a recession-proof stock. Now, of course, we’ve got the tariff uncertainty right now. That’s not great for retailers, but Walmart executives have already come out,” he said in the post.

The analysis shared by Erlichman is particularly relevant in the current economic climate. With ongoing market volatility and uncertainty, investors are constantly on the lookout for stocks that can weather economic downturns.

Erlichman’s review offers a historical perspective on stocks that have demonstrated resilience in the face of recessions, potentially guiding investors towards more stable investment options during turbulent times.