Consumer staples stocks were supposed to be dead money in a market where investors are looking for alpha in the artificial intelligence trade. But the sector has had some notable winners. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is up 26% in 2026 as of Sept. 1, more than double the gains made in the S&P 500.
However, another name has done even better. The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) stock is up 34% in 2026 and spiked approximately 12% following the company's first-quarter earnings report for its 2027 fiscal year (FY2027).
