3 Stocks That Thrived in Market Crashes: Walmart, McDonald's, and Gilead Sciences

With concerns about market crashes growing, investors may be looking for safe-haven stocks to invest in. Walmart, McDonald's, and Gilead Sciences are three stocks that have performed well during significant downturns.

In both the 2008 financial crisis and the 2022 market crash, these companies outperformed the S&P 500. In 2008, Walmart's total returns were up around 20%, while McDonald's delivered total returns of over 8%. Gilead Sciences' stock rose an impressive 11% that year.

In 2022, when the S&P 500 declined by more than 19%, Walmart generated slightly negative total returns, while McDonald's was up nearly 1%. Gilead Sciences' stock rose an impressive 24%, beating the market. The company's strong underlying business and consistent demand make it a solid long-term investment.

Gilead Sciences trades at a reasonable price, with a P/E ratio of around 15 times estimated earnings. It also offers a decent dividend that yields 2.3%. McDonald's trades at a similar valuation to Walmart but has a more reasonable P/E ratio of 22 times trailing earnings and a strong dividend yield of 2.8%.