SECTOR ANALYSIS

This sector analysis includes an overview of public limited companies that belong to The S&P 500 Index. This is the most widely followed index that tracks the performance of large-cap American stocks.

These 500 companies are classified into 11 major sectors: Consumer Staples/Defensive, Healthcare, Utilities, Basic Materials, Consumer Discretionary/Cyclical, Financial Services, Real Estate, Communication Services, Energy, Industrials and Technology. A sector describes a large segment of the economy. These 11 sectors are grouped into three categories:

DEFENSIVE: Consumer Staples/Defensive, Healthcare, Utilities

CYCLICAL: Basic Materials, Consumer Discretionary/Cyclical, Financial Services, Real Estate

SENSITIVE: Communication Services, Energy, Industrials, Technology

There are many specific industries that belong to one large sector.

🍚🛒🍺 | SECTOR: CONSUMER STAPLES / DEFENSIVE (32 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes necessities such as food and beverages, and personal products. This includes producers of these goods as well as retail companies that sell them such as supermarkets.

INDUSTRIES:

BEVERAGES — ALCOHOLIC: BEVERAGES – BREWERS, BEVERAGES – WINERIES & DISTILLERIES

BEVERAGES — NON-ALCOHOLIC

CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS: CONFECTIONERS, FARM PRODUCTS, HOUSEHOLD & PERSONAL PRODUCTS, PACKAGED FOODS

EDUCATION

RETAIL — DEFENSIVE: DISCOUNT STORES, FOOD DISTRIBUTION, GROCERY STORES

TOBACCO PRODUCTS

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC)

BlackRock: iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK)

State Street: Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF (RHS)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

Kimberly Clark (KMB), Coca-Cola (KO), Pepsi (PEP), Procter & Gamble (PG), Colgate-Palmolive (CL), SYSCO (SYY), Hormel Foods (HRL), Walmart (WMT)

Dividend Aristocrats:

Church & Dwight (CHD), Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), Clorox (CLX), Archer-Daniels-Midland (AMD), McCormick (MKC), Smucker (SJM), Brown-Forman (BF.B)

🏥👨‍⚕️💊 | SECTOR: HEALTHCARE (63 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes pharmaceuticals manufacturers, hospitals, health care equipment and service providers, and biotechnology and life sciences companies. 

INDUSTRIES:

BIOTECHNOLOGY

DRUG MANUFACTURERS: DRUG MANUFACTURERS – GENERAL, DRUG MANUFACTURERS – SPECIALTY & GENERIC

HEALTHCARE PLANS

HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS & SERVICES: MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES, PHARMACEUTICAL RETAILERS, HEALTH INFORMATION SERVICES

MEDICAL DEVICES & INSTRUMENTS: MEDICAL DEVICES, MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & SUPPLIES

MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS & RESEARCH

MEDICAL DISTRIBUTION

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares (VHT)

BlackRock: iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH)

State Street: Healthcare Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF (FHLC)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF (RYH)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

AbbVie (ABBV), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Abbott (ABT), Becton Dickinson (BDX)

Dividend Aristocrats:

Cardinal Health (CAH), Medtronic (MDT), West Pharmaceutical Services (WST)

🚰🔌♻️ | SECTOR: UTILITIES (28 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes electric and gas companies, water companies and renewable electricity producers. 

INDUSTRIES:

UTILITIES — INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCERS: UTILITIES – INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCERS, UTILITIES – RENEWABLE

UTILITIES — REGULATED: UTILITIES – REGULATED WATER, UTILITIES – REGULATED ELECTRIC, UTILITIES – REGULATED GAS, UTILITIES – DIVERSIFIED

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU)

BlackRock: iShares US Utilities ETF (IDU)

State Street: Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF (FUTY)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Utilities ETF (RYU)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

n/a

Dividend Aristocrats:

Consolidated Edison (ED), Atmos Energy (ATO), NextEra Energy (NEE)

🌲💎🔗| SECTOR: BASIC MATERIALS (28 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes chemicals, construction materials, metals and mining, and paper and forest products. 

INDUSTRIES:

AGRICULTURE

BUILDING MATERIALS

CHEMICALS: CHEMICALS, SPECIALTY CHEMICALS

FOREST PRODUCTS: LUMBER & WOOD PRODUCTION, PAPER & PAPER PRODUCTS

METALS & MINING: ALUMINUM, COPPER, OTHER INDUSTRIAL METALS & MINING, GOLD, SILVER, OTHER PRECIOUS METALS & MINING

STEEL: COKING COAL, STEEL

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Materials Index Fund ETF Shares (VAW)

BlackRock: iShares US Basic Materials ETF (IYM)

State Street: Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Materials Index ETF (FMAT)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Materials ETF (RTM)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

Nucor (NUE), PPG Industries (PPG)

Dividend Aristocrats:

Air Products & Chemicals (APD), Amcor (AMCR), Linde (LIN), Albemarle (ALB), Ecolab (ECL), Sherwin-Williams (SHW)

🛍🚗🏖 | SECTOR: CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY / CYCLICAL (61 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes businesses whose demand fluctuates based on general economic conditions such as consumer durables, automobiles, hotels and restaurants, retailers and the like.

INDUSTRIES:

VEHICLES & PARTS: AUTO & TRUCK DEALERSHIPS, AUTO MANUFACTURERS, AUTO PARTS, RECREATIONAL VEHICLES

FURNISHINGS, FIXTURES & APPLIANCES

HOMEBUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

MANUFACTURING — APPAREL & ACCESSORIES: TEXTILE MANUFACTURING, APPAREL MANUFACTURING, FOOTWEAR & ACCESSORIES

PACKAGING & CONTAINERS

PERSONAL SERVICES

RESTAURANTS

RETAIL — CYCLICAL: APPAREL RETAIL, DEPARTMENT STORES, HOME IMPROVEMENT RETAIL, LUXURY GOODS, INTERNET RETAIL, SPECIALTY RETAIL

TRAVEL & LEISURE: GAMBLING, LEISURE, LODGING, RESORTS & CASINOS, TRAVEL SERVICES

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund ETF Shares (VCR)

BlackRock: iShares US Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC)

State Street: Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF (FDIS)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Discretionary ETF (RCD)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

Genuine Parts (GPC), VF (VFC), Target (TGT)

Dividend Aristocrats:

McDonald’s (MCD), Lowe’s (LOW)

🏦💰💹 | SECTOR: FINANCIAL SERVICES (60 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes commercial banks, insurance companies, consumer lenders, investment firms and the like.

INDUSTRIES:

ASSET MANAGEMENT

BANKS: BANKS-DIVERSIFIED, BANKS – REGIONAL, MORTGAGE FINANCE

CAPITAL MARKETS: CAPITAL MARKETS, FINANCIAL DATA & STOCK EXCHANGES

INSURANCE: INSURANCE – LIFE, INSURANCE-PROPERTY & CASUALTY, INSURANCE -REINSURANCE, INSURANCE – SPECIALTY, INSURANCE BROKERS, INSURANCE – DIVERSIFIED

DIVERSIFIED FINANCIAL SERVICES: SHELL COMPANIES, FINANCIAL CONGLOMERATES

CREDIT SERVICES

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Financials Index Fund ETF Shares (VFH)

BlackRock: iShares US Financial Services ETF (IYG)

State Street: Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Financials Index ETF (FNCL)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Financials ETF (RYF)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

Cincinnati Financial (CINF), S&P Global (SPGI)

Dividend Aristocrats:

Franklin Resources (BEN), Brown & Brown (BRO), AFLAC (AFL), T. Rowe Price (TROW), Chubb (CB), People’s United Financial (MTB)

🏠🏗🏘 | SECTOR: REAL ESTATE (29 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes equity real estate investment trusts, as well as real estate management and development firms. 

INDUSTRIES:

REAL ESTATE: REAL ESTATE – DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE SERVICES, REAL ESTATE – DIVERSIFIED

REITS: REIT – HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, REIT – HOTEL & MOTEL, REIT – INDUSTRIAL, REIT – OFFICE, REIT – RESIDENTIAL, REIT – RETAIL, REIT – MORTGAGE, REIT – SPECIALTY, REIT – DIVERSIFIED

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares (VNQ)

BlackRock: iShares US Real Estate ETF (IYR)

State Street: Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Real Estate Index ETF (FREL)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Real Estate ETF (EWRE)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

Federal Realty (FRT)

Dividend Aristocrats:

Realty Income (O), Essex Property Trust (ESS)

📱🎮📡 | SECTOR: COMMUNICATION SERVICES (27 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes social media and traditional media companies as well as cable, landline and mobile telephone carriers.

INDUSTRIES:

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

MEDIA — DIVERSIFIED: ADVERTISING AGENCIES, PUBLISHING, BROADCASTING, ENTERTAINMENT

INTERACTIVE MEDIA: INTERNET CONTENT & INFORMATION, ELECTRONIC GAMING & MULTIMEDIA

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund ETF Shares (VOX)

BlackRock: iShares Global Comm Services ETF (IXP)

State Street: Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (FCOM)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Communication Services ETF (EWCO)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

n/a

Dividend Aristocrats:

n/a

🔥🛢☠️ | SECTOR: ENERGY (21 companies)

DECRIPTION:

This sector includes companies that explore, produce and sell oil and gas products as well as companies that supply equipment and services to them.

INDUSTRIES:

OIL & GAS: OIL & GAS DRILLING, OIL & GAS E&P, OIL & GAS INTEGRATED, OIL & GAS MIDSTREAM, OIL & GAS REFINING & MARKETING, OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

OTHER ENERGY SOURCES: THERMAL COAL, URANIUM

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Energy Index Fund ETF Shares (VDE)

BlackRock: iShares US Energy ETF (IYE)

State Street: Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Energy Index ETF (FENY)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF (RYE)

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ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

n/a

Dividend Aristocrats:

Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX)

🏭✈️🚜 | SECTOR: INDUSTRIALS (72 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes a wide variety of manufacturers and transportation companies such as defense and aerospace, airlines, railroads, machinery and the like.

INDUSTRIES:

AEROSPACE & DEFENSE

BUSINESS SERVICES: SPECIALTY BUSINESS SERVICES, CONSULTING SERVICES, RENTAL & LEASING SERVICES, SECURITY & PROTECTION SERVICES, STAFFING & EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

CONGLOMERATES

CONSTRUCTION: ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATIONS, BUILDING PRODUCTS & EQUIPMENT

FARM & HEAVY CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS: BUSINESS EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES, SPECIALTY INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY, METAL FABRICATION, POLLUTION & TREATMENT CONTROLS, TOOLS & ACCESSORIES, ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & PARTS

TRANSPORTATION: AIRPORTS & AIR SERVICES, AIRLINES, RAILROADS, MARINE SHIPPING, TRUCKING, INTEGRATED FREIGHT & LOGISTICS

WASTE MANAGEMENT

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ETF Shares (VIS)

BlackRock: iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ)

State Street: Industrials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Industrials Index ETF (FIDU)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Industrials ETF (RGI)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

3M (MMM), Emerson (EMR), Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Grainger (GWW), Dover (DOV), Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)

Dividend Aristocrats:

General Dynamics (GD), Caterpillar (CAT), A. O. Smith (AOS), Pentair (PNR), Expeditors (EXPD), Nordson (NDSN), C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW), Cintas (CTAS), Roper (ROP)

💻📺🖥  | SECTOR: TECHNOLOGY (76 companies)

DESCRIPTION:

This sector includes manufacturers and sellers of computer hardware, software, semiconductors and computer equipment in addition to providers of IT services. 

INDUSTRIES:

SOFTWARE: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, SOFTWARE – APPLICATION, SOFTWARE – INFRASTRUCTURE

HARDWARE: COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER HARDWARE, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, ELECTRONICS & COMPUTER DISTRIBUTION, SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL INSTRUMENTS

SEMICONDUCTORS: SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS, SEMICONDUCTORS, SOLAR

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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS (ETFs):

Vanguard: Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF Shares (VGT)

BlackRock: iShares US Technology ETF (IYW)

State Street: Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK)

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity MSCI Technology Index ETF (FTEC)

Invesco: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF (RYT)

ALL COMPANIES:

Dividend Kings:

n/a

Dividend Aristocrats:

International Business Machines (IBM), Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

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DIVIDEND KINGS. This is the list of 26 companies from the U.S. included in The S&P 500 Index that are crowned Dividend Kings in 2023. Dividend Kings are the companies that have a very long track record of increasing dividends and a market cap of at least USD$3 billion. To become one of the Dividend Kings, the company must have increased its dividends paid to shareholders for at least 50 consecutive years.

DIVIDEND ARISTOCRATS. This is the list of 42 companies from the U.S. included in The S&P 500 Index that are crowned Dividend Aristocrats in 2023. Dividend Aristocrats are the companies that have a very long track record of increasing dividends and a market cap of at least USD$3 billion. To become one of the Dividend Kings, the company must have increased its dividends paid to shareholders for at least 25 consecutive years.

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NOTE: The companies are ranked alphabetically within each sector. The above list of companies is highly subjective, therefore cannot be treated in any way as an investment advice. More in DISCLAIMER. GuruFocus provides fantastic overview of industries in terms of market share.