3 Things to Look for With Inflation-Fighting Stocks
With the Core Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 8.6% over the past 12 months, inflation is the word of the year, and many portfolios aren't fully ready for it. Rising costs give way to thinner margins, and growth-stage companies are getting hit by the market's reaction particularly hard.
But you aren't powerless in the face of inflation. Understanding how to hunt down inflation-resistant stocks is half the battle, and they're more common than you might think. Let's take a look at three things to look for when you're scouting for the stocks that'll anchor your portfolio's value during the ongoing inflationary storm.
The first thing to look for when you're evaluating a stock's ability to hold value through a patch of inflation is whether its products are something that buyers will be able to do without. For instance, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) sells a huge number of consumer health items that people need no matter their cost, like contact lens fluid and antacids. That means even if prices rise, consumers will still be buying the products, though they may look for substitutes or cheaper alternatives than what CVS might carry.
Source Fool.com
