Defensives versus high beta. What should your stock strategy be?

While JP Morgan believes 'cash is king' given the uncertainty that lies ahead, selective buying from a long-term perspective can be done in defensive plays.

With the frontline indices – the S&P BSE Sensex and the Nifty 50 – crashing over 35 per cent from their peak levels given the rampant spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic across the globe, most analysts remain cautious on the road ahead for the markets. Going ahead, they believe the markets will track developments related to the progress of the health scare and how effectively can the governments combat it.

That said, they do believe long-term investors with risk appetite and those who can digest volatility can start nibbling at stocks given the attractive valuations.

So, what should your stock strategy be? Is it better to allocate more towards defensives or look at high beta names that can deliver handsome returns once the markets recover?

While JP Morgan believes ‘cash is king’ given the uncertainty that lies ahead, selective buying from a long-term perspective can be done in defensive plays. Before investing, investors must evaluate companies carefully and put money in stocks of only those companies with strong balance-sheet and earnings visibility despite the Covid-19 health scare, they suggest.

“The backdrop of a sell-off across asset classes led by COVID-19 fears means our strategy is set with the primary objective of capital preservation with cash in hand until volatility recedes. We would be selective buyers within Indian equities, albeit with a defensive bias. Our preferred sectors are consumer staples, healthcare, large retail private sector banks and utilities,” wrote Rajiv Batra, Kevyn H Kadakia and Sahil Dhingra of JP Morgan in a recent report.