Major U.S. stock indices suffered a sharp fall last weekend, on June 5, 2026, as a surprisingly resilient May jobs report sparked a sudden market-wide retreat. Investor concerns intensified after robust labor market data revealed that employers added an unexpected 172,000 jobs, raising the possibility that the Federal Reserve may maintain higher interest rates for an extended period to combat stubborn inflation.

While a strong jobs market reflects underlying economic resilience, the combination of high-rate anxieties and a severe, localized sell-off in high-flying AI chip stocks triggered a broad tech de-risking event. 

Compounding this market volatility, a fresh exchange of missile strikes between Iran and Israel over the weekend has suddenly threatened the stability of the April ceasefire. This escalating tension has once again clouded the geopolitical landscape and put a spotlight on maritime security surrounding the critical Strait of Hormuz. 

Against this backdrop of macroeconomic headwinds and sudden geopolitical friction, investors wary of high-beta volatility may consider pivoting toward low-leverage stalwarts. These fiscally conservative companies are better positioned to navigate interest rate fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainty. By providing a stable foundation in a shifting market, they can serve as a strategic hedge against a potential energy-driven economic slowdown.

We recommend low-leverage stocks, such as HF Sinclair (DINO Quick QuoteDINO - Free Report) , Siemens Energy (SMERY Quick QuoteSMERY - Free Report) , American Healthcare REIT, Inc. (AHR Quick QuoteAHR - Free Report) , Par Pacific (PARR Quick QuotePARR - Free Report) , and Green Dot (GDOT Quick QuoteGDOT - Free Report) . 

Before selecting low-leverage stocks, it is important to understand what leverage is and how investing in low-leverage companies can benefit investors.

What’s the Significance of Low-Leverage Stocks?

In finance, leverage refers to the use of borrowed capital to support business operations and drive expansion. Companies typically raise such funds through debt financing, although equity financing remains an alternative. However, firms often prefer debt due to its relatively lower cost and easier availability compared to issuing equity.

Debt financing comes with inherent risks and is beneficial only when it generates returns that exceed the cost of borrowing. To limit downside risk, investors should be cautious of companies that rely excessively on debt. Prudent investing involves selecting businesses with manageable leverage, as completely debt-free companies are rare.

The equity market can be volatile at times. As an investor, if you want to avoid significant losses, we suggest focusing on stocks with low leverage, which are generally deemed less risky.

To identify such stocks, several leverage ratios have historically been developed to measure the amount of debt a company carries. The debt-to-equity ratio is among the most widely used financial ratios.

Analyzing Debt/Equity

Debt-to-Equity Ratio = Total Liabilities/Shareholders’ Equity

This metric is a liquidity ratio that indicates the amount of financial risk a company bears. A lower debt-to-equity ratio suggests improved solvency for a company.

With the first-quarter 2026 earnings season behind us, investors should focus on stocks that have demonstrated solid earnings growth in recent periods.

If a stock carries a high debt-to-equity ratio during an economic downturn, its seemingly strong earnings could quickly turn into a nightmare.

The Winning Strategy

Considering the aforementioned factors, it would be prudent to choose stocks with a low debt-to-equity ratio to ensure steady returns.
Yet, an investment strategy based solely on the debt-to-equity ratio might not fetch the desired outcome. To select stocks with the potential to provide steady returns, we have expanded our screening criteria to include additional factors.

Other Parameters:

Debt/Equity Less Than X-Industry Median: Stocks that are less leveraged than their industry peers.

Current Price Greater Than or Equal to 10: The stocks must be trading at $10 or higher.

Average 20-day Volume Greater Than or Equal to 50000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.

Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/F(-1) Greater Than X-Industry Median: Earnings growth adds to optimism, leading to a stock’s price appreciation.

VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), offer the best upside potential.

Estimated One-Year EPS Growth F (1)/F(0) Greater Than 5: This shows earnings growth expectations.

Zacks Rank #1 or 2: Irrespective of market conditions, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 have a proven history of success.

Excluding stocks that have a negative or a zero debt-to-equity ratio, we present our five picks out of the 12 that made it through the screen.

HF Sinclair: It is an energy company that produces and markets light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, and other specialty products. On May 22, 2026, the company announced the launch of its Sinclair Oil brand’s "DINO-Venture," a 3,000-mile, nine-city summer road trip across the American West featuring community events, promotional offers, and distributor partnerships. 

Running from May 22 through June 15, the tour highlights regional storytelling and seasonal activations before concluding with a Folds of Honor scholarship ceremony in Tulsa, OK. This campaign should act as a low-cost customer acquisition funnel to drive high-margin proprietary fuel sales and mobile app adoption for the company.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DINO’s 2026 sales indicates an improvement of 15.6% from the prior-year reported level. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DINO’s 2026 earnings indicates an improvement of 73.3% from the prior-year reported level. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

Siemens Energy: It focuses on the design, development, manufacture and supply of products, installation and technologically advanced services principally in the renewable energy sector. On June 2, 2026, the company announced that it has agreed to acquire Camlin Group, a Northern Ireland-based specialist in grid monitoring, analytics and asset digitalization technologies. The acquisition will expand Siemens Energy’s digital grid portfolio at a time of accelerated global investment in electricity networks. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMERY’s fiscal 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 19% from the prior-year reported actuals. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMERY’s fiscal 2026 earnings indicates a solid surge of 197.7% from the prior-year reported actuals. SMERY currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

American Healthcare REIT.: It is a self-managed real estate investment trust that acquires, owns and operates a diversified portfolio of clinical healthcare real estate properties, focusing primarily on medical office buildings, senior housing, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals and other healthcare-related facilities. 

On May 7, 2026, the company reported its first-quarter 2026 results. Its revenues soared 20.4% year over year to $650.8 million, while its earnings per share (EPS) of 13 cents improved from a loss of 4 cents incurred a year earlier.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AHR’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 22.4% from the prior-year reported number. The stock boasts a long-term (three-to-five years) earnings growth rate of 14.50% and currently holds a Zacks Rank #2.

Par Pacific: It is a growth-oriented energy company supplying conventional and renewable fuels across the western U.S. On May 5, 2026, Par Pacific announced its first-quarter 2026 results. Its revenues grew 4.5% year over year to $1.82 billion, while its EPS improved to $1.10 from a loss of 57 cents in the first quarter of 2025.  

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PARR’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 16% from the prior-year reported actuals. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PARR’s 2026 earnings suggests a surge of 103.8% from the prior-year reported actuals. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Green Dot: It is a pro-consumer bank holding company and personal banking provider. On May 11, 2026, Green Dot announced its first-quarter 2026 results. Its revenues soared a solid 17.4% year over year to $656.2 million, while EPS improved 98% to 93 cents.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GDOT’s 2026 revenues suggests an improvement of 8.3% from the year-ago reported level. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GDOT’s 2026 earnings implies growth of 19.2% from the year-ago reported level. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.