In this article, we will look at the 10 Consumer Defensive Stocks With More Than 50% Upside.
On October 18, Michel Lerner, head of UBS’ division HOLT, appeared on CNBC to talk about the stock market. Discussing where to find solid valuations in the market, he noted that focusing solely on buying valuation is not a suitable tactic, as value stocks tend to perform well during a bull run with a strong economic cycle. Therefore, looking at just value means taking on a lot of inherent risk in a backdrop still featuring considerable economic uncertainty.
According to Lerner, the more interesting aspect right now is looking at the quality end of the market, such as the sleepier defensive stocks. These stocks don’t necessarily have the growth stories that industrials or tech sectors have had, but the underperformance the market has seen of these stocks, particularly in Europe, very much mimics what we saw in the dot com.
READ ALSO: 14 Stocks Under $5 with Highest Upside Potential and 12 Most Undervalued Small Cap Stocks to Invest In Now.
Right now, he stated, they have added headwinds, such as problems with their profitability and growth. What’s interesting to Lerner today is that these names, including consumer staples, healthcare, and luxury, particularly in Europe, are now getting valuations that are no longer at a premium for the quality that they otherwise have. He added that the earnings show that there are some names where the earnings pressures are starting to recede, which is, at a minimum, a good hedge in what has otherwise been a risk-on environment.
With these trends in view, let’s look at the best consumer defensive stocks with more than 50% upside.
Our Methodology
We used Finviz to compile a list of best consumer defensive stocks with more than 50% upside and selected the top 10 with the highest analyst upside potential. We also added the number of hedge fund holders as of Q2 2025, sourcing the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The list is sorted in ascending order of analyst upside.
Note: All data was recorded on October 31.
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 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
10 Consumer Defensive Stocks With More Than 50% Upside
10. JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS)
Analyst Upside: 51.40%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38
JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS) is one of the best consumer defensive stocks with more than 50% upside. On October 28, Bank of America Securities analyst Isabella Simonato reiterated a Buy rating on JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS), setting a $20 price target.
JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS) also received a rating update from BofA on October 16, with the firm lowering its price target on the stock to $20 from $21 while keeping a Buy rating on the shares.
The firm told investors that with China closed for Brazilian chicken, it is reducing its 2025 and 2026 EBITDA estimates by around 3% each. It is also lowering its EPS forecasts by 9% and 8%, respectively, primarily on lower short-term margins at Seara.
In addition, JPMorgan analyst Lucas Ferreira slashed the price target on JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS) to $20 from $21 on October 14 while keeping an Overweight rating on the stock.
The firm stated that it sees the US chicken margin to be challenging for JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS) in the near term after the 23.5% price drop from the recent peak. While it expects prices to drop after summer, better mortality and placements show that the industry is pumping higher-than-expected supply.
JBS N.V. (NYSE:JBS) is a food company that sells pork, beef, lamb meat, and poultry products. The company offers its products to club stores, supermarkets, other retail distributors, and foodservice companies.
9. BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST)
Analyst Upside: 51.52%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N//A
BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST) is one of the best consumer defensive stocks with more than 50% upside. On October 30, BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST) announced a strategic CDMO agreement with Saffron Tech for the development and commercialization of saffron-derived botanical compounds by employing BioHarvest’s patented Botanical Synthesis platform, which allows “consistent, scalable, and cost-effective production of plant-based molecules without growing the plant itself”. Saffron Tech pioneers “advanced cultivation methods” for saffron, which is one of the most valued and health-promoting botanicals in the world.
According to the terms of the agreement, 75% of the developed saffron compositions, ownership IP, and commercial associated rights would be owned by Saffron Tech, while the remaining 25% will be held by BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST).
BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST) also announced that it aims to manufacture the compound at large scale upon the completion of the composition’s development phases, while also marketing it in its direct-to-consumer e-commerce business through the development of “a line of nutraceutical products leveraging saffron’s functional benefits”, including eye health, cognitive functions, and antioxidant benefits.
BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:BHST) offers nutraceutical health and wellness products, including dietary supplements.
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