Tech stocks have been hit hard after the latest semiconductor and streaming headlines, with heavy selling in global chip leaders and Netflix dragging major indices lower. That kind of broad risk-off move can sometimes pull down solid, slower-moving companies alongside more volatile growth stocks. This article focuses on Defensive Value Stocks: companies with lower P/E ratios, moderate dividends, and steadier balance sheets that may be less sensitive to sharp swings in sentiment. Below, you will see 3 stocks exposed to the recent news event, all from this screener, that some investors might watch more closely after the sell off.

Ingredion (INGR)

Overview: Ingredion is a global food ingredient supplier that turns corn and other starch-based crops into sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients, and biomaterial solutions used in everyday products from snacks and soft drinks to paper, textiles, and personal care items.

Operations: Ingredion generates most of its revenue from Texture & Healthful Solutions at US$2.4b, Food & Industrial Ingredients LATAM at US$2.4b, Food & Industrial Ingredients U.S./Canada at US$2.1b, plus US$487m from other activities and an offset of US$198m from intersegment sales.

Market Cap: US$6.5b

Ingredion stands out in a tech driven sell off because it offers a mix of relatively steady demand for food ingredients, a 3.2% dividend, and a P/E that sits well below both the US Food sector and peer averages, which some investors read as a margin of safety. At the same time, the company is shifting toward higher value specialty ingredients tied to health, wellness, and clean label trends, while trimming exposure to less attractive assets such as its Rafhan Maize stake and the Cabo facility in Brazil. The trade off is slower forecast revenue growth, ongoing exposure to Latin American volatility, and funding commitments for the planned Tate & Lyle acquisition, which investors need to weigh against the potential payoff from a broader specialty portfolio.

Ingredion’s low P/E and 3.2% dividend suggest investors may be missing how the portfolio shift toward specialty ingredients could reshape the story. See how the DCF valuation analysis for Ingredion might change the risk reward balance.

Brown-Forman (BF.B)

Overview: Brown-Forman is a global spirits producer behind Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Herradura, and other well known whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, and liqueur brands sold across retail, on premise venues, and travel retail channels.

Operations: Brown-Forman generates US$3.9b in revenue from Beverage Alcohol Consumer Products, with sales spread across the United States (US$1.9b) and key markets such as Germany, Mexico, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other international regions.

Market Cap: US$11.8b

Brown-Forman attracts attention in a tech led sell off because it sits in a very different corner of the market, as a consumer staples company with a long established spirits portfolio, a 3.61% dividend, and a valuation that screens as cheap relative to both its own estimated cash flow value and many peers. At the same time, the story is not risk free, with recent pressure on margins, earnings that declined in the past year, high reliance on debt funding, and a pending CEO transition alongside rejected takeover interest that raises questions about where future returns will come from. For investors looking beyond the semiconductor headlines, the mix of premium brands, international growth ambitions, and balance sheet and demand risks makes Brown-Forman a company worth a closer look.

Brown-Forman’s earnings dip and CEO change may be masking what really matters: the balance between its premium brands and debt load. Get the full picture in the Brown-Forman financial health report

John B. Sanfilippo & Son (JBSS)

Overview: John B. Sanfilippo & Son is a vertically integrated nut and snack manufacturer that processes and sells a wide range of tree nuts, peanuts, snack and protein bars, trail mixes, peanut and nut butters, and other snack products under brands like Fisher, Orchard Valley Harvest, Squirrel Brand, Southern Style Nuts, and Just the Cheese, as well as for private label and commercial ingredient customers across the United States.

Operations: The company generates about US$1.2b in annual revenue from selling various nut and nut related products and bars.

Market Cap: US$929m

John B. Sanfilippo & Son offers a combination that some defensive investors look for when tech stocks swing around: packaged food exposure, high quality earnings, and a P/E that sits below many peers while analysts still see room for revenue and margin expansion. New snack and protein bar lines, growing B2B ingredient and contract manufacturing partnerships, and data led marketing could support more resilient earnings even as consumers react to higher food prices. At the same time, governance concerns, product recalls, higher raw material costs, and reliance on borrowing mean this is not a simple story. If you want to understand whether the current discount to estimated fair value compensates for those risks, you will need to look beyond the headline multiples.

John B. Sanfilippo & Son’s mix of packaged food resilience and a P/E below many peers suggests the full picture is not reflected in the current story, and the analysis report for John B. Sanfilippo & Son hints at one underappreciated twist investors should see first

The three stocks in this article are only a starting point, and the full Defensive Value Stocks screener reveals 22 more companies with similarly compelling defensive value stories that you have not seen yet. Use Simply Wall St to identify, filter, and analyze the specific catalysts and narratives that matter to you, so you can focus on the highest conviction opportunities in this corner of the market.

Take Control of Your Investment Journey

If John B. Sanfilippo & Son or any of these companies sound like a great opportunity, register for FREE with Simply Wall St and add your companies to a Watchlist to monitor the share price against the fair value the ideal entry point. Once you've made your move, manage your holdings with our Portfolio Command Center that filters out the noise to deliver only the most critical, actionable updates. Throughout your journey, our Community allows you to filter the best ideas from thousands of investor perspectives. By uncovering hidden catalysts and risks early, you'll accelerate your decision-making and stay one step ahead of the market.

Seeking Alternatives Before Momentum Flies

Fresh opportunities do not sit still. While attention clings to today’s headlines, other stocks are building quiet breakout momentum under the radar for now, so consider your options promptly.

• Spot resilient dividend payers that could keep cash flowing even when growth stories cool by scanning the curated 8 dividend fortresses built for income focused investors.
• Catch early movers participating in the AI build out before they are widely talked about by checking the hand picked 54 AI infrastructure stocks powering the data and compute backbone.
• Track companies supplying critical metals to trends many investors are ignoring by reviewing the focused 8 top copper producer stocks supporting electrification and related industrial demand.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.