In this article, we will take a look at the 15 Best Low Volatility Blue Chip Stocks to Buy Now.
The S&P 500 has declined by over 3.5% in 2026 so far. According to an April 1 report by CNBC, investors were being urged to brace for more volatility. Markets, it said, are likely to react quickly to both good and bad headlines.
Jack Manley, a global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, noted that market moves would remain highly sensitive to the flow of news. He added that while the current environment still supports taking on risk, investors should expect a bumpy and uneven ride through the year. The firm’s data showed a clear pattern. Investors who try to time the market by moving in and out too often tend to fall behind, especially during volatile periods.
The report further mentioned that looking back over the past two decades, six of the 10 best market days came within two weeks of the 10 worst days. One example stood out. The second-worst trading day of 2020, March 12, was followed immediately by the second-best day of that same year. Based on this, the firm found that staying fully invested often leads to better results. Missing even a few of the strongest days can have a noticeable impact on overall returns. Manley also pointed to diversification as a practical way to manage volatility.
He further noted that a long-term, passive approach focused on the S&P 500 has produced strong outcomes. Large-cap US stocks delivered three straight years of double-digit gains, around 16% in 2025, 23% in 2024, and 24% in 2023. He acknowledged that some years may still bring losses. Even so, he stressed that history continues to show US equities as a consistent driver of long-term wealth creation.
Given this, we will take a look at some of the best low-volatility stocks.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hands-holding-us-dollar-bills-4968630/
Our Methodology:
For this article, we screened for companies with a market cap above $10 billion. From that list, we picked companies with a beta value below 1, which shows that these stocks are less volatile than the overall market. We limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
15. Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR)
Beta Value (5Y Monthly): 0.99
On April 7, RBC Capital raised the firm’s price recommendation on Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR) to $85 from $80. It reiterated an Outperform rating on the shares. The update came as part of a broader preview of Q1 results in the fertilizer sector. The firm noted that fertilizer prices came in higher than expected during the quarter. The Iran war limited exports from the Middle East, which remains a key supplier of nitrogen and phosphate. Nitrogen, in particular, saw a sharp impact, with prices moving higher due to tighter supply and rising LNG costs increasing global marginal production costs, the analyst told investors in a research note. RBC also said it expects Nutrien to continue delivering strong operational performance. In its view, this positions the company to generate solid free cash flow and benefit during periods when fertilizer prices move higher, including the current environment where nitrogen prices are being supported by Iran-war-related disruptions.
On March 26, UBS downgraded Nutrien (NTR) to Sell from Neutral and raised its price target to $67 from $63. The firm said the stock’s risk/reward has shifted to the downside. Nutrien’s 19% rally so far this year already reflects a more optimistic outlook for potash market fundamentals. UBS believes this outlook overlooks potential supply and pricing pressure that could emerge later in the decade, the analyst told investors in a research note. The firm expects potash prices to decline starting in Q2. It also sees 2026 pricing staying flat, which contrasts with consensus expectations for year-over-year increases.
Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR) operates as a global provider of crop inputs and services. The company runs a large network of production, distribution, and agricultural retail facilities. Its business is organized across Nutrien Ag Solutions (Retail), Potash, Nitrogen, and Phosphate segments.
14. Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR)
Beta Value (5Y Monthly): 0.99
On April 6, Evercore ISI analyst Vijay Kumar lowered the firm’s price recommendation on Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) to $225 from $254 and maintained an Outperform rating. The shares were also added to the firm’s “Tactical Outperform” list as part of its Q1 preview for medical technology and life science tools.
During the Q4 2025 earnings call, Rainer Blair, President, CEO, and Director, stated that the company reported sales of $24.6 billion, with core revenue rising 2%. He noted that the adjusted operating profit margin came in at 28.2%, while adjusted diluted earnings per share reached $7.80, reflecting a 4.5% increase. He also highlighted that the company generated $5.3 billion in free cash flow, which translated into a free cash flow to net income conversion ratio of about 145%.
Blair added that fourth-quarter sales totaled $6.8 billion, alongside core revenue growth of 2.5%. He further explained that, on a geographic basis, core revenues in developed markets saw low single-digit growth. North America remained largely flat, while Western Europe posted mid-single-digit gains.
Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) operates as a global life sciences and diagnostics innovator. The company is organized across three segments: Biotechnology, Life Sciences, and Diagnostics.
