Want to protect your portfolio from a bear market? Want huge dividend income? You can get both by buying shares of nicotine producers Altria Group (NYSE: MO) and British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI).

Few stocks offer this much downside protection and income potential. But which stock is the best?

The nicotine market is incredibly stable. From 2018 to 2023, for instance, nicotine usage in the U.S. grew by around 1% per year, with very little variation year to year. Stable demand has allowed nicotine companies to outperform during market downturns. In 2022, the S&P 500 fell in value by around 18%. Altria stock, meanwhile, increased in value by around 4%. British American stock actually grew by 14% that year.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com