Play defense with these dividend payers that consistently buy back their own shares, says Wolfe Research

The best way to play defense in this rocky market is to focus on companies that have a track record of buying back their stocks, according to Wolfe Research. Equities are slightly off their latest highs, but the ride has been anything but smooth. The S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both fell on Monday , while the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched higher. At the same time, investors have been closely watching inflation, with the May consumer price index rising 4.2% over the prior 12 months. The latest inflation reading, the personal consumption expenditures price index, is set to be released on Thursday. The ongoing volatility may have investors seeking safety. Wolfe's favorite way to take a defensive view during the rockiness with its "Consistent Buybacks" basket. It consists of companies that have reduced their share count by buying back their stock for at least 10 consecutive years. "This basket tends to perform well throughout the cycle, including heading into and throughout recessions," chief investment strategist Chris Senyek said in a note last week. On top of that, certain names in the cohort also pay dividends. Here are the stocks in Wolfe's list that both have consistently bought back shares over the last 10 years and have a solid dividend yield. Best Buy , which has a 5% dividend yield, made the cut. The electronics retailer returned $1.1 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends in fiscal 2026. …