5 Great Income Buys For The Coming Downturn

The market rally continued into May as companies like Microsoft MSFT and Meta Platforms META reported blowout Q1 earnings. But while stocks reclaimed their pre-Liberation Day highs, sour sentiment and uncertainty continue to bleed into survey data.

Investors caught between the market rebound and declining sentiment may prefer to park their cash in sectors where product demand and market sentiment are less volatile, such as consumer staples.

Consumer staples stocks are resilient during downturns due to their focus on essential goods that people need regardless of economic conditions. This protects these firms from drastic revenue declines. Many also possess pricing power, allowing them to pass tariff costs to consumers without significant pushback.

Today, we'll look at five companies in the consumer staples space that offer strong dividends and high growth potential.

Interparfums Inc. 

If your significant other has a favorite scent, there's a good chance Interparfums IPAR had a hand in making it. The France-based fragrance firm makes colognes and perfumes for brands like Donna Karan, Kate Spade, Coach, Guess, Montblanc, Ferragamo, and more. Interparfums reported $1.45 billion in sales over the past 12 months and currently has a market capitalization of over $3.5 billion.

IPAR currently yields 2.93% with a dividend payout ratio (DPR) of 63%, meaning that 63% of profits are allocated to dividend payments. Over 60% of profits going to a dividend may sound high, but consumer staples aren't growth-oriented firms and often return substantial chunks of earnings to shareholders. IPAR recently raised its quarterly dividend payout from $0.75 per share to $0.80 and reported 64% gross margins in the most recent earnings report. These figures indicate a strong dividend and the ability to absorb short-term tariff pressures. Additionally, the daily stock chart shows evidence of a trend reversal after a 22% decline in the preceding three months. IPAR has a high Benzinga Edge Quality score of 91.01 and reports its 2025 Q1 earnings on May 5.

J.M. Smucker Co. 

If you have young children, you've likely familiarized yourself with Uncrustables, the prepackaged sandwich treats sweeping elementary school cafeterias and Little League baseball diamonds. Uncrustables come from food giant J.M. Smucker Company SJM, famous for its peanut butter and jelly. It also owns popular brands like Hostess, Folgers, Cafe Bustelo, Meow Mix, and Milk-Bone.

SJM's dividend payout rate is beyond 100% this quarter due to a one-time impairment charge that affected earnings, but this charge blurs an otherwise sturdy dividend. SJM currently yields 3.72%, and the forward DPR based on 2026 estimates is just 41%. The company is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has increased its annual payout for at least 25 consecutive years (SJM has been raising its payout for 27 years now). SJM reported 36% gross margins in its most recent conference call, and the chart shows a potential Golden Cross forming as the 50-day moving average converges with the 200-day moving average.

United Breweries Co. 

United Breweries Company CCU is a Chilean-based wine and spirits manufacturer known as Compañía Cervecerias Unidas in South America (hence the CCU stock ticker). The company operates primarily in South America, producing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under its own name and through popular brands such as Heineken, Guinness, Pepsi, and Keurig. CCU doesn't need to worry about tariffs, as the company doesn't export to the United States. However, U.S. investors can still earn income from its durable dividend.

CCU's stock has a dividend yield of 3% with an amenable 28% DPR, indicating a resilient payout. The company also has strong margins for a food and beverage maker, with 45% gross margins in its most recent earnings report. Benzinga Edge rates the stock 99.42 in Quality and 92.45 in Value, the highest figures for any company on our list today. The daily chart is also a thing of beauty, with the price firmly above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) still well below the overbought threshold of 70.

Diageo plc ADR 

It's been a rough road lately for the English alcohol behemoth Diageo DEO, which counts Johnny Walker, Crown Royal, Don Julio, Ketel One, Bailey's, and Smirnoff among its most popular brands. DEO stock was a top performer following the COVID crash in 2020, going from a March 2020 low of $102 to $222 by the first week of 2022.

The stock has returned to that 2020 low, but this could finally be a turning point for the beleaguered beverage maker. The chart above shows a distinct long-term double bottom; the stock bounced off that level almost immediately. DEO shares have returned 7% over the last month, and fundamentals indicate that more gains could be ahead. The company posted gross margins of 60% in its most recent earnings release, and the stock yields 3.7% with a DPR of just 46%. Analysts rate the stock as a consensus Buy with an average price target of $180, indicating tremendous upside potential from current levels. Optimism could finally be sinking in at Diageo after a 50% haircut over the last two-plus years.

Strategic Education Inc. 

Strategic Education STRA operates private colleges and universities, such as Strayer, Capella, and Torrens, and offers online post-secondary educational programs. STRA shares saw a massive uptick during the pandemic as online education gained market share, but they dropped to multi-year lows in 2022 amidst declining revenue and shrinking margins.

STRA shares could be approaching a multi-year support level, as shown in the chart above. This fact, along with a safe dividend, makes this an attractive stock for income investors. The dividend yield is 2.94% with a 51% DPR, and the company has grown revenue for four consecutive quarters. Additionally, profit margins are back above 9% for the first time since the pandemic, with 47% gross margins, and the stock trades at just 17 times earnings.

Markets Are Whipsawing—Here's How to Find Trades Inside It

Massive Dow swings. Tech whiplash. Every CPI print is rattling the market. Chris Capre is going live Sunday, May 4 at 1 PM ET to break down how to time high-probability trades with his proven 0–5 day momentum system. Register HERE to join the session.

Editorial content from our Expert contributors is intended to be information for the general public and not individualized investment advice. Editors/contributors are presenting their individual opinions and strategies, which are neither expressly nor impliedly approved or endorsed by Benzinga.

Photo: Shutterstock