Fortress stocks to protect portfolios in volatile markets

Monday’s global markets sell-off saw Wall Street’s “fear gauge” spike to its highest level since 2020, but there are a few stocks that may help investors stabilize their portfolios in these volatile times. The S & P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted their worst sessions since September 2022 on Monday, fueled by traders’ fears that the U.S. economy could be on less-stable footing than previously thought. The Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, briefly topped 65 that day – its highest level since March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic rattled markets. Amid this backdrop, CNBC Pro used its Stock Screener Tool to find S & P 500 names that can help investors ride out tumultuous times, based on the following criteria: A beta of less than 1, indicating low volatility Earnings per share growth of at least 10% over the past three years Analysts maintain a consensus buy rating Average analyst price targets imply at least 20% upside Readers can add and customize this screen and make their own using the CNBC Pro Stock Screener Tool here . Hydrocarbon exploration firm Coterra Energy made the list. Shares have slipped more than 7% in 2024. Coterra has a beta of 0.23, the lowest on the list of stocks assembled for this screen. Average analyst price targets forecast nearly 45% upside for the energy stock moving forward, per LSEG. CTRA YTD mountain Coterra Energy stock. While the company’s second-quarter adjusted earnings missed Wall Street’s estimates, Coterra’s production for the period came in ahead of analysts’ expectations. Coterra shares also offer investors income, paying a dividend yield of 3.4%. Elsewhere on the list, shares of Microsoft have added more than 7% in 2024. Analysts polled by LSEG forecast nearly 26% upside for the technology stock moving forward. MSFT YTD mountain Microsoft stock. Microsoft’s earnings and revenue surpassed the Street’s estimates for the fiscal fourth quarter , but results for its cloud business fell short of expectations. Nevertheless, analysts have largely stood by Microsoft, pointing to potential tailwinds from the company’s artificial intelligence investments. Major Wall Street firms said that a recent pullback in shares — which are off 4% in the past week — presented a buying opportunity for investors. Other stocks that came up on CNBC Pro’s screen include Deere and Omnicom Group .