Prosper Junior Bakiny, The Motley Fool
Thu, May 21, 2026 at 1:50 AM CDT

Although broader equities have performed pretty well this year, recession fears are lingering. After all, we are still dealing with macroeconomic problems and rising inflation. For those especially worried that the economy will eventually succumb to these headwinds and enter a recession, it helps to buy shares of companies that can perform well even in the most challenging environments. Here are three of them: Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT). Read on to find out why these three stocks are excellent buys if there is a recession on the way.

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There are several reasons Abbott Laboratories is an excellent stock to buy ahead of a recession. First, it has a large portfolio of healthcare products across four categories: Pharmaceuticals, medical devices, nutrition, and diagnostics. Many of the products it offers remain in high demand regardless of economic conditions. For instance, in nutrition, it is a market leader in baby formula, something parents aren't going to want to stop buying, no matter what happens. Within its core medical device business, Abbott Laboratories markets a range of products that help treat serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Those, too, should experience resilient demand even during recessions. Second, Abbott Laboratories has several growth drivers that could help it deliver solid financial results for a long time. The company's FreeStyle Libre franchise -- a family of continuous glucose monitoring devices for diabetes patients -- has been its main growth driver for a while and still boasts plenty of white space.

Abbott Laboratories also now has a stronger presence in the cancer screening market, another promising niche, thanks to a recent acquisition. Third, Abbott Laboratories is a fantastic dividend stock. With 54 straight years of payout increases, the healthcare giant is a Dividend King, or a corporation with at least 50 consecutive years of dividend raises. Regular payouts can help buffer market losses if a recession drags broader equities down. Abbott Laboratories hasn't performed well this year, partly due to slowing top-line growth, especially within its diagnostic and nutrition businesses.

However, recent developments (including an acquisition that boosted its diagnostics segment) can help it address these problems. The stock should remain a reliable dividend payer through the next recession and beyond.

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