Consumer Staples Are Up Almost 20% While the S&P 500 Struggles. Retirees Are Paying Attention.

Core Viewpoint - Consumer sentiment remains low, with the University of Michigan's index at 56.4 as of January 2026, while the S&P 500 has only increased by 0.81% year-to-date, creating a favorable environment for defensive funds like KXI [2] Group 1: Fund Overview - KXI tracks a global index of companies that sell essential goods, including food, beverages, household products, and tobacco, with approximately 55% of its holdings in international companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, and Diageo [3] - The largest positions in KXI are Walmart at 9.94% and Costco at 9.22%, both of which have shown consistent earnings growth through various economic cycles [4] - KXI offers a yield of 2.27% with a 0.39% expense ratio, and distributions are paid semi-annually [4] Group 2: Performance Analysis - Over the past year, KXI has outperformed the S&P 500, returning 18.07% compared to the index's 15.11%, while exhibiting lower volatility, which aligns with the behavior of defensive funds during periods of depressed consumer sentiment [5][8] - The strong performance is attributed to the earnings durability of KXI's largest holdings, with Walmart's grocery market share increasing and Costco maintaining a high membership renewal rate of 89.7% [6] Group 3: Risks and Tradeoffs - KXI's international exposure introduces currency risk, as companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Philip Morris have reported foreign exchange headwinds, which can diminish returns even if the underlying businesses perform well [7]