Wells Fargo (WFC) was founded in 1852 and is the fourth largest bank in the country as measured by assets. The bank ended 2018 with $1.3 trillion in total deposits, and its 90 different business lines collectively generated over $86 billion in revenue from a diversified mix of banking, insurance, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance services.Unlike many big banks, Wells Fargo has little exposure to investment banking and trading operations, which tend to be more cyclical and riskier businesses. Instead, the firm focuses on simple lending activities (mortgages, auto loans, commercial financing, etc.) and fee income.

Founded in 1928, Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is one of the largest replacement part makers in the automotive, industrial, office equipment, and electronics industries. The company markets its products in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico through a large network including over 100 North American auto and industrial distribution centers and over 6,700 NAPA auto parts stores worldwide. Genuine Parts Company’s sales are derived from a diverse group of well-known industry brands including NAPA auto parts, Motion Industries (industrial components), and SP Richards & Company (office products).

Founded in 1940, McDonald's (MCD) is the world's largest quick-serve restaurant chain, with about 37,000 locations in more than 100 countries. Approximately 93% of its locations are franchised, meaning the stores are owned and operated by independent business owners. The company's goal is to eventually have 95% of its stores franchised. Under a typical franchise arrangement, McDonald's owns the land and building or secures a long-term lease for the restaurant location, and the franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating, and décor. The company believes that ownership of real estate, combined with the co-investment by franchisees, enables it to achieve restaurant performance levels that are among the highest in the industry. Franchisees are responsible for reinvesting capital in their businesses over [...]

Hormel Foods (HRL) was founded in 1891 and has proven to be one of the most resilient food providers in the world. The company’s brands include Skippy peanut butter, SPAM meat, Dinty Moore stew, Wholly Guacamole dips, Jennie-O turkey, and numerous Hormel-branded meat products. Perishable products (fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meals) account for 56% of Hormel's revenue, followed by poultry (19% – turkey), shelf-stable goods (19% – canned meats, peanut butter, hash, stews, chips, etc.), and miscellaneous products (6% – nutritional food products, dessert and drink mixes, etc.).