Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY): Favorite for Conservative Portfolios

We just covered the 14 Best Defensive Stocks to Invest In Now and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) ranks 5th on this list.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) remains a favorite for conservative portfolios due to its exceptionally low volatility and its status as a high-yield income fortress. In a year marked by geopolitical tension and oil-driven market swings, the stock has served as a critical shock absorber for investors. It currently boasts one of the lowest betas in the S&P 500. This means it is roughly 73% less volatile than the broader market. As a major provider of life-saving oncology, cardiovascular, and immunology drugs, demand for the products marketed by the firm is decoupled from economic cycles. For example, patients do not stop taking medicines like Eliquis or Opdivo during a recession.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) is a top pick for income-focused funds because of its generous and reliable payout. Following the quarterly dividend of $0.63 per share paid in early 2026, the stock offers a significantly higher yield than many of its big-pharma peers. Despite recent earnings headwinds, the firm maintains a healthy cash payout ratio of approximately 35%. This provides a massive buffer to continue raising dividends while still funding the $9 billion+ annual R&D budget required to refresh its pipeline. The company is successfully transitioning to a new product portfolio. It is currently replacing revenue from legacy drugs with new launches like Camzyos, for heart disease, Sotyktu, for psoriasis, and Cobenfy, for neuropsychiatry. These growth products saw a 10% increase in the most recent quarter, de-risking the company’s long-term revenue outlook.

While we acknowledge the risk and potential of BMY as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BMY and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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