These Dow stocks hold up the most during rough times for the benchmark

Published Mon, Feb 24 202010:00 AM ESTUpdated Mon, Feb 24 20204:14 PM EST

(This story is for CNBC Pro subscribers only.) Stocks plummeted on Monday on fears about the impact of the spreading coronavirus on global growth. If you think these tough market times will continue, there are some Dow Jones Industrial Average members to hide out in because they tend to hold up better than the other members. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tanked more than 1,000 points, more than 3.5%, as a spike in coronavirus cases in countries outside of China like South Korea and Italy worried investors about the global impact of the deadly outbreak. CNBC used Kensho, a hedge fund analytics tool, to screen for the best performers in the Dow when the 30-stock index is under pressure. If the Dow keeps falling, history shows these stocks will at least beat the market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped 5% or more in a single month 30 times since September 1999. Data shows, if you buy these defensive health care and consumer staples stocks at the start of the market sell-off and sell one-month later, you will at least beat the struggling market. The theory behind defensive stocks is that consumers will always pay for health related items like medications and hospital visits and will always buy staple goods like toothpaste and laundry detergent, even in tougher economic times. Health care giant Merck is the best performing Dow stock when the market tanks in a single month. It trades positive nearly a third of the time and averages a loss of 2.4%, less than half the broader market. Health care stocks UnitedHealth drops 2.6% on average and Pfizer falls 2.75%, both trading positive about a third of the time. Many of these stocks also pay a decent dividend. Merck pays a 3% dividend yield and UnitedHealth and Pfizer pay a 1.4% and 4.3% dividend yield, respectively. Consumer staple stocks Coca-Cola and Proctor & Gamble also typically beat the market during a major sell-off, each averaging a loss of 2.42% and 2.62%, respectively. Health care and consumer staples stocks perform well when the markets drop because they are less tied to the economic cycle. Coca-Cola pays a 2.7% dividend and Proctor & Gamble pays a 2.4% dividend yield. Goldman Sachs also recommends all five of the listed stocks in its defensives basket. To be sure, some health care stocks could be harder hit than usual this time around. This is because of recent fears surrounding Bernie Sander's momentum from his win in Nevada. Sanders has vowed to take on the healthcare industry if he was elected. UnitedHealth tanked 7% on Monday.

Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

(This story is for CNBC Pro subscribers only.)

Stocks plummeted on Monday on fears about the impact of the spreading coronavirus on global growth.

If you think these tough market times will continue, there are some Dow Jones Industrial Average members to hide out in because they tend to hold up better than the other members.