2 Defensive Healthcare Stocks to Buy Right Now

By Adria Cimino – Mar 22, 2026 at 2:15AM ESTKey PointsDefensive stocks should help your portfolio weather the toughest market times.The revenue growth of these companies doesn’t depend on the economic backdrop.The S&P 500 soared over the past three years -- but since the start of this year, the benchmark has lost some of the positive momentum. This is for a variety of reasons. The possibility that the long-term revenue opportunity in the artificial intelligence (AI) market could disappoint has weighed on investors' minds. Uncertainty about the state of the economy and the pace of interest rate cuts also has prompted concern -- and the war in Iran added to this difficult picture. With this in mind, now is a fantastic time to add a couple of defensive stocks to your portfolio -- these are companies that tend to deliver solid earnings performance even through difficult environments. Here are two such healthcare players to buy now and hold onto for the long term. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Abbott Laboratories I like Abbott Laboratories (ABT 1.21%) for two key reasons. First, it's a well-diversified healthcare business, meaning that if one part faces headwinds, other areas may compensate. The company has four units: medical devices, diagnostics, nutrition, and established pharmaceuticals. During the early days of the pandemic, diagnostics revenue soared, and now that this is no longer the case, the medical device business is driving growth. And since Abbott's products are essentials, economic shifts aren't likely to affect the company's revenue much. ExpandNYSE: ABTAbbott LaboratoriesToday's Change(-1.21%) $-1.30Current Price$105.89Key Data PointsMarket Cap$183BDay's Range$105.41 - $107.7452wk Range$105.27 - $139.06Volume523KAvg Vol11MGross Margin52.72%Dividend Yield2.28% Abbott also makes a top buy because it's a Dividend King, meaning it's increased its dividend payments for more than 50 consecutive years. This commitment to dividend growth suggests you can count on the company to continue along this path. This passive income should limit the impact of tough market times on your portfolio. 2.

Intuitive Surgical Intuitive Surgical (ISRG 0.41%) is the global leader in robotic surgery. The company makes the Da Vinci line of surgical robots, and this portfolio has helped it deliver a solid track record of earnings growth over time. ISRG Revenue (Annual) data by YCharts What I like most about Intuitive Surgical is the company's solid moat, or competitive advantage. This is the fact that most surgeons train on Da Vinci systems, so it's likely they will opt to work on this platform they know well. And the second part of this moat is the following: The million-dollar price tag of these robots means the hospitals and healthcare systems that invest in them probably will stick with these devices in order to amortize the cost. ExpandNASDAQ: ISRGIntuitive SurgicalToday's Change(-0.41%) $-1.96Current Price$477.97Key Data PointsMarket Cap$170BDay's Range$473.19 - $484.9252wk Range$425.00 - $603.88Volume2.2MAvg Vol1.9MGross Margin65.98% Intuitive Surgical also offers another advantage: It makes most of its revenue through the sales of accessories and instruments needed to perform surgeries on the Da Vinci -- and this is recurring revenue. All of this makes Intuitive Surgical a solid stock to own during any market downturn.Read NextMar 19, 2026 •By Prosper Junior Bakiny1 Magnificent Dividend Stock Down 22% That's a Screaming Buy Right NowFeb 25, 2026 •By James HalleyForget Tilray: This Steady Income Stock Beats Wild Cannabis Swings Every TimeFeb 23, 2026 •By Prosper Junior BakinyAbbott Labs: A Boring Dividend Machine That Could Quietly Make You RichFeb 12, 2026 •By Adria CiminoAbbott Labs: The Healthcare Dividend Stock I'd Happily Hold ForeverFeb 2, 2026 •By Prosper Junior BakinyThe Best Dividend King to Buy With $150Jan 31, 2026 •By Adria CiminoLooking for Passive Income in 2026? 3 Dividend Kings to Buy Hand Over FistAbout the AuthorAdria Cimino is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering healthcare, technology, and consumer goods sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Adria covered the European stock market and U.S. stocks pre-market trading for Bloomberg News, Bloomberg TV, and Bloomberg Radio for more than a decade. Earlier in her career, she wrote about biotech, medtech, and technology companies in Boston for Mass High Tech, an American City Business Journals publication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida.TMFAdriaCiminoX@adria_in_parisStocks MentionedAbbott LaboratoriesNYSE: ABT$105.46(-1.61%)-$1.73Intuitive SurgicalNASDAQ: ISRG$477.94(-0.41%)-$1.99*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.